What happened
On November 1, 2024, a Robinson R-44 II helicopter, registration N62CD, was involved in a fatal accident near Iowa, Louisiana. The flight was being operated under Part 91 as a personal flight.
The flight began at approximately 1813 central daylight time when the pilot departed from private property near Kinder, Louisiana. After climbing to 800 feet mean sea level (msl), the pilot landed in a field near a restaurant approximately 1.2 miles west of Chennault International Airport (CWF) at 1826.
At approximately 2054, the pilot departed the field and flew northeast, reaching an altitude of 1,300 feet msl. During the flight, the aircraft performed several maneuvers, including a left turn to a westerly course and a subsequent right turn to an easterly course. During the easterly turn, the altitude fluctuated between 1,050 and 1,500 feet msl.
At 2104:17, the helicopter entered a right turn to a southerly course, followed by a gradual, descending left turn. The aircraft then performed a 270-degree right turn to a southeasterly course, followed by two irregular 360-degree right turns. During these maneuvers, the altitude continued to decrease. The final position data recorded at 2106:13 placed the aircraft 85 feet north of the accident site at an altitude of approximately 200 feet msl.
The helicopter impacted a two-lane asphalt road lined with 40- to 50-foot trees. While power lines were present near the road, there was no evidence of a power line strike. The aircraft came to rest on the road facing southwest, and the fuselage was destroyed by a post-impact fire. The accident resulted in 3 fatal injuries.
An initial review by the Federal Aviation Administration indicated the pilot held a student pilot certificate and did not have a medical certificate or BasicMed certification. The pilot's logbook showed a total of approximately 139 flight hours, with 15 hours of that time occurring at night. On the day of the accident, civil twilight had ended at 1849.