Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Spruce Creek Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
New Smyrna Bch., Florida 32168
Saturday, February 16, 2002 6:15 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
When the helicopter failed to arrive at the destination airport, a waiting passenger became concerned and alerted local authorities, and a search for the helicopter was initiated. The downed helicopter was located several hours later in a swampy area approximately 6 miles southeast of the destination airport. According to local law enforcement personnel at the accident site, low clouds and reduced visibility existed at the approximate time of the accident. Examination of the accident site showed that the wreckage debris from the helicopter was scattered over an area approximately 300 feet long and 40 feet wide. Examination of the airframe and the engine assembly failed to disclose a system malfunction or component failure. Toxicology reports for the pilot noted 115mg/dl (0.115%) of ethanol in the blood and 153mg/dl (0.153%) in the vitreous.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot continued visual flight into instrument conditions that resulted in the in-flight collision with trees. Factor were the pilot's alcohol impaired condition, and low cloud conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/16/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 615 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | New Smyrna Bch. |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32168 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 285924N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0805925W |
| Event Location Airport | Spruce Creek |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 7FL6 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 6 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 165 |
| Airport Elevation | 24 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 553 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DAB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 40 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Dawn |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 100 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Indefinite (V V) |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 0.25 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 16 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 16 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 260 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.08 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 13885 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 16 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1330 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 30 2003 9:55AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Orlando FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N23PJ |
| NTSB Number | ATL02FA048 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Bell |
| Aircraft Model | 206L-1 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 45269 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4150 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 7 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 30 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 63 |
| Airframe Hours | 6166 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Universal Air Service |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 359 North Crystal Lake Drive |
| Aircraft Owner City | Orlando |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 32803 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | UVRG |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger Only |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | ORL |
| Departure City | Orlando |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 550 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 7FL6 |
| Destination City | New Smyrna Beac |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 24 2003 2:23PM |
| User who most recently changed record | POWP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 05 |
| Runway Length | 4000 |
| Runway Width | 176 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |