Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ochopee, Florida 34141
Thursday, August 19, 2004 6:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated he departed from the airport at dawn, and was en route to the Southwest Florida International Airport located in Fort Myers, Florida. The helicopter was approximately 40 nautical miles into the flight at a cruise altitude of about 500 feet AGL. Without warning the helicopter pitched up followed by a loud bang, which startled him, and the helicopter became uncontrollable. He pushed collective down and cyclic full right. The helicopter pitched nose down and turned to the left. As the helicopter was descending, he saw trees and pulled up on the collective to reduce the descent rate before impact. Examination of the Rolls Royce 250-C20B engine, engine accessories, airframe, and associated systems, were conducted by representatives from Rolls-Royce Corporation, Boeing Company, and NTSB after recovery. The examination revealed that there had been no indication of an engine failure at the time of the accident, and did not reveal any preaccident anomalies to the helicopter or its associated systems.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's loss of control in flight for undetermined reasons, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent, and subsequent impact with trees and the terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/19/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 630 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Ochopee |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 34141 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 255747N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0805708W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | -- |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 604 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 320 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TMB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 8 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 35 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Dawn |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 3500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 24 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| 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 | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 18827 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Com Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 19 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 745 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 20 2005 6:27AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Miami FSDO Office |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N42928 |
| NTSB Number | MIA04LA121 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | McDonnell Douglas |
| Aircraft Model | 369E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 301E |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3550 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Jan 1 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 90 |
| Airframe Hours | 7280 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | 5K Aircraft Sales Inc |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 6981 Lake Devonwood Dr. |
| Aircraft Owner City | Fort Myers |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33908 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | TMB |
| Departure City | Miami |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 630 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | RSW |
| Destination City | Fort Myers |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 23 2005 10:51AM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| 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 | -- |