Danielson Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Killingly, Connecticut 06239
Friday, June 18, 2004 3:24 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilots were on a multiple-stop, multiple-day mission from California to Rhode Island, to deliver a camera helicopter to the company president. The helicopter departed a Pennsylvania airport after midnight, and en route, climbed over instrument meteorological conditions. In the middle of Connecticut, the crew attempted to circle down to an airport, through the instrument conditions, but collided with trees. Local weather at the time included low ceilings and fog. The helicopter was not equipped for instrument flight, and there was no record that the pilots contacted any flight service stations to file a flight plan or receive a weather update. The pilot in command held a commercial certificate with rotorcraft-helicopter and instrument-helicopter ratings, and was a certificated flight instructor. The second pilot received his private certificate with rotorcraft-helicopter rating 2 weeks before the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot in command's intentional flight into instrument meteorological flight conditions, and his failure to maintain obstacle clearance which resulted in a controlled descent into trees. Factors included the pilot's inadequate weather evaluation, low cloud ceilings, fog, and dark night lighting conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/18/2004
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 324
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Killingly
Event State CONNECTICUT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 06239
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 414658N
Event Location Longitude 0715127W
Event Location Airport Danielson
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 5B3
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 130
Airport Elevation 238
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 352 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID IJD
Elevation of weather observation facility 247
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1.75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.88
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 17567
NTSB Notification Source New England Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date Jun 18 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 28 2005 2:59PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Windsor Locks

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N70144
NTSB Number IAD04FA025
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 R-44
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 0362
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 26 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 51
Airframe Hours 1349
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Matthew Spitzer
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Hayward
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94542
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name VERTICARE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 280 Mortensen Avenue
Operator City Salinas
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 93905
Operator Code CBFL
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AVP
Departure City Wilkes Barre
Departure State PA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 47
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PVD
Destination City Providence
Destination State RI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 2700
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --