NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On October 21, 2003, about 1140 eastern daylight time, a Bell 47G-2A-1 helicopter, N73979, registered to Central Florida Flying Service, Inc., and operated by the pilot, impacted with a hangar on the pilot's private property in Balm, Florida. The helicopter was destroyed. The non-certificated pilot and a bystander on the ground received fatal injuries. The passenger received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 local personal flight. The flight departed from a concrete pad in front of the hangar about 1100.

There was one witness to the accident. The witness stated that around 1100 he had gone for a ride in the helicopter with the pilot. The ride lasted for 20 to 30 minutes and when they landed, he got out and his friend got in to go for a ride. The helicopter took off and was gone for about 15 minutes. When it returned, he was standing in front of the hangar beside the bystander who was killed. The helicopter flew by twice, once from south to north, a second time from north to south and then turned to come from west to east. As the helicopter approached, the witness estimated it was about 8 to 12 feet off the ground. He was taking pictures with a disposable camera and the bystander was filming the helicopter's flight with a video camera. The witness stated that he believed the pilot was performing a fly-by so that he and the bystander could take pictures. He further stated that he believed "the blades on top of the helicopter struck the hanger above where [the bystander] and I were standing." The bystander was "struck by something" and fell to the ground beside him. The witness then looked to the right and saw the helicopter impact a fishing boat and pickup truck that were parked just northeast of the hangar.

Following the accident, the disposable camera and the video camera were found laying on the concrete pad in front of the hangar and were taken into custody by a detective with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. These items were later turned over to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Review of the videotape removed from the video camera by FDLE officers disclosed approximately 2 minutes and 53 seconds of captured images. A copy of the tape was provided to the NTSB investigator-in-charge by FDLE. The tape depicted the helicopter maneuvering in a manner consistent with the witness's description of the event. The tape also appeared to depict the belly or skid gear of the helicopter striking the video camera and/or the person holding the camera on the final pass.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The FAA had no record of the pilot having an airman certificate. He was issued a third class medical certificate with no restrictions on October 29, 1987. Friends and family members of the pilot reported that he had been flying the helicopter for many years.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

According to Bell Helicopter, the helicopter was manufactured on August 9, 1963. It was registered to Central Florida Flying Service, Inc., on February 15, 1984. The pilot was listed as an officer of the company in Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations records. The records indicated the company was dissolved in 1987. The helicopter's maintenance records were examined by the FAA inspector who reported that the helicopter has a current annual inspection.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 1153, the reported weather conditions at Tampa International Airport, Tampa, Florida, located approximately 20 nautical miles northwest of the accident site, were wind variable at 6 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds at 3,500 feet agl, temperature 28 degrees C, dewpoint 16 degrees C, altimeter 30.07 inches.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The accident site was a garage styled hangar and concrete pad located behind the pilot's residence. The hangar was constructed of concrete block with a stucco brick facing. There were two large door openings on the north side of the hangar, and there was a concrete pad measuring about 40 by 40 feet in front of the doors. A helicopter dolly was parked on the northwest corner of the pad.

According to the witness, he and the bystander were standing a few feet in front of the western door opening when the accident occurred. The hangar's eaves above the location where the witness and bystander were located sustained damage to its fascia, trusses, concrete block and shingles. Wood, concrete and shingle debris were scattered throughout the area. Pieces of sheet metal and Plexiglas from the helicopter were also scattered over the area.

The helicopter came to rest just east of the concrete pad in front of the northeast corner of the hangar. It was resting nose down, partially inverted in the cavity of a small flat bottom boat that had been sitting on a trailer parked next to the hangar. The boat and helicopter were pushed into the passenger side of a red GMC pick-up truck. The tail boom was partially separated and folded over the fuselage.

Both main rotor blades remained attached to the hub. One of the main rotor blades was resting on a white Chevrolet pick-up truck parked just east of the red truck, and the other blade was resting on the grass north of the red truck. The blade resting on the white truck sustained severe impact damage to the outboard section, and the other blade was bent up about 15 degrees approximately 2 feet inboard of the tip. The tail rotor assembly separated and was found immediately adjacent to the northeast corner of the hangar. One of the tail rotor blades sustained heavy impact damage, and the other blade displayed minimal damage.

On February 22, 2003, the wreckage was examined by the NTSB investigator-in-charge and representatives from Bell Helicopter Textron, Textron Lycoming and the FAA. Continuity was confirmed for the tail rotor drive from the blades through the tail rotor gear box and for the tail rotor pitch control from the blades to the spool mounted on the tail rotor gear box. The tail rotor pitch control cables displayed evidence of tensile overload. Continuity of the main rotor head controls was confirmed from the cockpit controls to the rotor head.

The engine, a Lycoming VO-435-A1F, S/N L189-52, was intact and in place with all of the accessories attached. The spark plugs and valve covers were removed, the crankshaft was rotated, and continuity was confirmed to all cylinders and to the rear of the engine. Compression was confirmed on all of the cylinders. The spark plugs appeared to be new. The right magneto had impact damage, and the left magneto was undamaged. The left magneto produced spark at all leads when turned with an electric drill. The hydraulic pump was undamaged and triggered the three hydraulic actuators when turned with an electric drill. The carburetor was undamaged; it was disassembled with no discrepancies noted, and the fuel screen was found clean. The oil filter was opened, and the element was clean and clear with no metal deposits.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The pilot passed away at Tampa General Hospital on October 29, 2003. Autopsies on the bystander and the pilot were performed by the Medical Examiner Department of Hillsborough County, Tampa, Florida. Toxicological testing by the FAA's Toxicology and Accident Research Laboratory on a blood sample taken from the pilot after his hospital admission on the day of the accident detected no carbon monoxide, cyanide, or ethanol. Lidocaine, a drug used in hospital resuscitation, was detected.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The wreckage was released to a representative of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office on October 22, 2003.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's intentional buzzing and his failure to maintain altitude/clearance which resulted in an in-flight collision with a building.