Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Coleta, Illinois 61081
Wednesday, June 25, 2003 8:30 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The helicopter was destroyed on impact with terrain following an uncontrolled descent from cruise flight. A witness stated, "The copter didn't seem to have maneuvering difficulty. It still continued to lose altitude. I noticed the propeller losing speed. The copter appeared to lose half of its [altitude] very quickly. Before the copter actually went down, the blades appeared to stop rotation and then I counted 2 blades." Weather was: Wind 200 degrees at 6 knots; visibility 8 statute miles; sky condition clear. An on-scene investigation was conducted and no helicopter pre-impact anomalies were detected. No pre-impact anomalies were detected in the testing of the magnetos, fuel distribution valve, distribution lines, fuel injectors, fuel servo, hydraulic system, and the engine. An analysis of the liquid from the fuel servo revealed "the presence of aviation gasoline." On the back of the student pilot's certificate was stated in bold lettering, "Passenger-Carrying Prohibited." Two passengers were fatally injured. Toxicological testing revealed, "0.377 (ug/ml, ug/g) AMPHETAMINE detected in Blood, 10.479 (ug/ml, ug/g) AMPHETAMINE detected in Urine, 0.626 (ug/mL, ug/g) FLUOXETINE detected in Blood, FLUOXETINE present in Urine, NORFLUOXETINE present in Blood, NORFLUOXETINE present in URINE." FAR 91.17 stated, "No person may act or attempt to act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft ... while using any drug that affects the person's faculties in any way contrary to safety." Forensic Toxicology Information Sheet excerpts stated, "Amphetamine is a widely used drug of abuse. However, amphetamine is used in medicine primarily in combination with dextroamphetamine for the treatment of narcolepsy and attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity. ...Fluoxetine is a prescription antidepressant also indicated for the use of obsessive-compulsive disorder and bulimia nervosa (an eating disorder) and often known by the trade name Prozac. Norfluoxetine is a metabolite of fluoxetine. Amphetamine is a stimulant, often known informally as "speed." It may be prescribed for conditions including narcolepsy, obesity, and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, but it is often a drug of abuse and has a high incidence of addiction.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot not maintaining main rotor RPM during cruise flight. The factor in the two passenger's fatal injuries was the pilot not following directives concerning the prohibition of carrying passengers while a student pilot. Other factors were the pilot's use of inappropriate medication/drugs, and the impairment of the pilot by amphetamine.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/25/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 830 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Coleta |
| Event State | ILLINOIS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 61081 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | -- |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | -- |
| Event Location Latitude | 415430N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0894812W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 835 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 151 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SQI |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 647 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 13 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 8 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 200 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.98 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KSQI 251315Z 20006KT 8SM CLR 26/18 A2997 RMK |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 3 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15635 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 25 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 930 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 30 2004 12:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | West Chicago, IL, FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N7512P |
| NTSB Number | CHI03FA181 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Robinson |
| Aircraft Model | R44 II |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 10046 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2500 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 95.8 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Berg Aviation Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 461 Rivercrest Court |
| Aircraft Owner City | Mukwonago |
| Aircraft Owner State | WI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 53149 |
| 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 | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Business |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Mukwonago |
| Departure State | WI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 730 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Kansas City |
| Destination State | MO |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 7 2004 3:06PM |
| User who most recently changed record | SULP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |