Robinson Helicopter CO R66 accident near Knoxville, Tennessee, January 30, 2021
On January 30, 2021 at about 2:45 pm local time, a 2014 Robinson Helicopter CO R66, registered N660TN, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Knoxville, Tennessee (Yard airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the helicopter, which resulted in rear portion of the right skid contacting the ground and a subsequent dynamic rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 30, 2021 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Knoxville, Tennessee · Yard · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter CO R66 NO SERIES, built 2014
- Registration
- N660TN · no longer on the register · serial 0565
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot performed a preflight inspection of the helicopter, which was positioned in the yard of a residence on a slight incline. After starting the engine, and completing the checklist, he lifted to a hover at 6 ft. The helicopter then began to rotate in a counterclockwise direction and the helicopter’s nose pitched up. The rear portion of the right skid contacted the ground and the helicopter to rolled onto its right side. The helicopter’s main rotor, fuselage, and tailboom were substantially damaged. A posaccident examination of the helicopter revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions of the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. Given this information, it is likely that the pilot failed to maintain directional control of the helicopter while transitioning into the hover, and the helicopter experienced a dynamic rollover when the right rear skid contacted the sloped ground.
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
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Roll over
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,829 hours in all; 187 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 8,622 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 27, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 681.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royc 250-C300/A1 (turboshaft); 682 hours total
The flight
- Destination: TYS Knoxviile TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway NONE, 20 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from KTYS, 8 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KTYS 301453Z 02007KT 10SM OVC090 M01/M06 A3026 RMK AO2 SLP254 T10111061 52001
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on July 15, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of NTSB Conversation | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Diagram of Accident Site - FAA Produced | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.