Robinson R66 accident near Caraguatatuba, Br, January 3, 2013
On January 3, 2013 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Robinson R66 (helicopter), registered PRDUB, was destroyed in an accident during enroute near Caraguatatuba. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under non-U.S. private rules. 2 people were killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 3, 2013 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Caraguatatuba, Brazil · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Robinson R66 · all R66s on the register
- Registration
- PRDUB · no longer on the register · serial 0085
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On January 3, 2013, about 1600 coordinated universal time (UTC), a Robinson R-66 Helicopter, Brazilian registration PR-DUB, was destroyed when it impacted a dense forest and the side of a hill in the Caraguatatuba Municipality, in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The flight which was conducted under Brazilian flight regulations had departed from São José dos Campos Airport (SBSJ), São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil and was destined for Maroum Heliport (SJDO), Maroum, São Paulo, Brazil. This investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Aeronautical Accident Prevention and Investigation Center (CENIPA) of Brazil. Further information can be obtained from: Aeronautical Accident Prevention and Investigation Center Investigation Division CENIPA SHIS – QI 05-VI Comar Brasilia-DF, Brazil 71.615-600 Telephone: (55-61) 3364-8800 Fax: (55-61) 3365-1004 This report is for informational purposes and contains only information released by the Government of Brazil.
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
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during enroute defining event
Crew member
No details recorded.
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C300/A1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SBSJ Sao Jose Dos Ca
- Destination: SJDO Maroum
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.