NTSB Factual Report

On August 19, 2004, about 0630 eastern daylight time, a McDonnell Douglas 369E, N42928, registered to and operated by 5K Aircraft Sales Inc., as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed in the Big Cypress National Preserve, in Ochopee, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated pilot received minor injuries and the helicopter incurred substantial damage. The flight originated from the Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport, Miami, Florida, earlier that day, about 0600.

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 above ground level. 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 Cypress trees ahead, and pulled up on the collective to reduce the descent rate before impact. After recovering from the shock of the crash, he called his wife on a cell phone to inform her of what had just happened and gave her a general idea of where he was located. She notified the authorities, which launched a search and rescue operation involving resources from three separate counties. The wreckage was located around 1050 that morning; however, it was about two hours later and several miles away from the accident site that the pilot was located and rescued.

The helicopter was flying on a northwest heading and about 40 miles from departure airport when the accident occurred. The crash site coordinates were 25 degrees 57:47 minutes north latitude and 80 degrees 57:08 minutes west longitude. Examination at the crash site was consistent with the helicopter energy path on a 010 degree heading when it impacted with 30 to 50 foot tall trees while descending. The helicopter came to rest in a nose high attitude with a slight roll to the right in a swampy terrain on a heading of 170 degree. The helicopter fuselage was generally intact with the rotor blades in place. There was major damage to the fuselage, drive train, landing gear, main rotor, tail rotor systems and the tailboom was fracture in two sections. All components of the helicopter which are necessary for flight were located on or around the main wreckage.

The Helicopter was recovered from the crash site and taken to a hanger to be examined by NTSB, Boeing Company, and Rolls-Royce Corporation.

Visual inspection of the fuel system was conducted with no damaged noted to the system. Sufficient fuel was on board the helicopter at the time of the accident to complete the planned flight. Damage to the main rotor system, tail rotor drive shaft, and tail rotor control rod was consistent with tree strikes during the crash sequences. The longitudinal cyclic and collective main rotor control linkage exhibited continuity throughout full range of movement. Examination of the flight control systems showed continuity of the flight controls in all axis, except for a lateral idler bellcrank at the control support bracket that was fractured. The fractured component (P/N 91-369A7109) was sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory in Washington DC for examination. The component had an impact gouge and failed from overstress. The examination of the helicopter's airframe and helicopter systems revealed no preaccident anomalies to the helicopter or its associated systems.

Examination of the Rolls-Royce 250-C20B engine, and engine accessories were conducted on the airframe. No external damages or visual anomalies to the engine or its accessories were noted. Throttle continuity were established. N1 and N2 rotated freely. The upper and lower metal chip detector were unremarkable. Compressor inlet was unremarkable. The examination of the fuel system was consistent with fuel present inside the fuel lines, and fuel nozzle. The fuel nozzle and the filter screen were removed and no defects were noted. Examination of the engine and engine accessories did not reveal any evidence of any pre-impact failure.

The helicopter and retained parts were released to the helicopter owner on October 7, 2004.

NTSB Probable Cause

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.