Robinson R-44 accident near Cassville, Missouri, July 2, 1998
On July 2, 1998 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Robinson R-44 (helicopter), registered N8329B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cassville, Missouri. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot in command's inadequate preflight planning/preparation and weather evaluation that resulted in flight into adverse weather conditions. Factors to the accident were a preflight briefing service not being used and the transmission wire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1998 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Cassville, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-44 · all R-44s on the register
- Registration
- N8329B · registry record · serial 0219
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and his passenger were enroute to their destination when they became aware that they were approaching a line of thunderstorms from behind. The pilot decided to make a precautionary landing due to the convective weather in the area and wait for the line of thunderstorms to move further from their route. During approach to the landing area, the aircraft struck a power line, approximately 35' above ground level (agl), and the pilot executed a run-on landing. The aircraft impacted the ground resulting in substantial damage to the landing skids, rotor blades, and tail boom. The pilot stated that he was aware of the thunderstorms from watching a television weather broadcast, but thought the line of storms had moved past his route of flight when he had made his departure. There were no Flight Service Station (FSS) or Direct User Access Terminal System (Duats) pilot briefings given for the aircraft in question. The pilot stated that there were no aircraft mechanical problems related to the accident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,700 hours in all; 38 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 4,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 700 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 24, 1998; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Tulsa OK
- Destination: PLK Branson MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from ASG, 51 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N8329B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.