Probable cause
The pilots failure to maintain clearance from terrain resulting in an in-flight collision with a house. Contributing to the accident was the night instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and the pilot's lack of experience of flying in IMC.
NTSB analysis
The non-instrument-rated pilot departed from a casino heliport on a night cross country flight with a passenger. The helicopter impacted an occupied home and terrain about 1.5 miles south of the destination airport. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the area of the accident. A witness said the helicopter sounded "really low" and the "engine sounded like it was at low RPMs." An on-scene investigation revealed the filament in the rotor's low rpm light bulb was stretched. No pre-impact helicopter or engine anomalies were detected. The pilot's logbook showed he had accumulated 329 hours of total flight time. The pilot had recorded 37.25 hours of night flight time.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CHI08FA293 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Sep 21, 2008
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Kenosha, Wisconsin
- Nearest airport
- Kenosha Regional (ENW)
- Highest injury
- Fatal
- Fatal injuries
- 2
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC)
- Light
- Night
Robinson R44 II
- N-number
- N999ZD
- Category
- Helicopter
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.