NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On August 2, 2010, about 1900 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R44 helicopter, N34JS, was substantially damaged when it collided with mountainous terrain while maneuvering near Blood Mountain, Blairsville, Georgia. The certificated private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed around the accident site, and no flight plan was filed for the flight which departed Madison Municipal Airport (52A), Madison, Georgia, about 1830, and was destined for the Brasstown Valley Resort, Young Harris, Georgia. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

The flight originated from West Palm Beach, Florida, early on the morning of the accident date. According to fuel receipts, fuel was purchased for the accident helicopter at 1809, at 52A. In a telephone interview, the airport manager said that the pilot purchased fuel, advised the resort by telephone of his pending arrival, boarded the helicopter and departed. When the helicopter did not arrive as expected, a search was initiated, and an Alert Notice (ALNOT) was issued on August 4, 2010. The wreckage was located from the air by the Civil Air Patrol on August 6, 2010.

In a telephone interview, a friend of the pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to attend a motorcycle racing event in Georgia. The friend owned the Robinson Helicopter sales and service center where the pilot/owner of the accident helicopter purchased and maintained his helicopter. He said the pilot had asked him to go along on the trip, but he couldn't due to a prior commitment. According to the friend, "He asked me to go and I told him, 'You really need mountain experience before you go.' I gave him a few pointers, but there was no talking him out of it. He called me Monday morning (August 2, 2010) or Sunday and asked me a few more questions about flying through the mountains. He didn't give me the route of flight. I just knew he was going to the motocross nationals."

In a telephone interview, a witness who lived about 8 miles south of the accident site stated that she heard a small helicopter approach her house and went outside to watch, as she "loved" airplanes and helicopters. She said she was unable to see the helicopter as it passed, because her view was blocked by trees. She said the helicopter passed by between 1800 and 1900, and that the sound of the helicopter was smooth and continuous.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot was issued a private pilot certificate with a rating for rotorcraft-helicopter on September 28, 2009. The pilot's logbook was not recovered and his total flight experience could not be determined. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) second class medical certificate was issued in May 2009. He reported 11 hours of flight experience on that date.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

According to FAA records, the helicopter was manufactured in 2006. A review of the helicopter's maintenance logbooks revealed its most recent annual inspection was completed February 26, 2010, at 299.4 total aircraft hours.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 1853, the weather conditions reported at Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport (GVL), 31 miles south of the accident site, at 1,276 feet elevation, included scattered clouds at 1,600 feet and an overcast ceiling at 2,500 feet. The visibility was 5 miles in haze, the temperature was 26 degrees C, the dew point 23 degrees C, and the altimeter setting was 30.10 inches of mercury. The winds were from 120 degrees at 3 knots.

According to a Safety Board senior meteorologist, AIRMET Sierra update number 4 was current over the area that encompassed the route of flight and the crash site for mountain obscuration conditions. GOES-13 visible satellite images from over the accident site around the time of the accident depicted an area of low stratiform clouds that extended over the area, and supported the AIRMET for mountain obscuration.

According to the Lockheed Martin Office of Quality Assurance, the pilot did not request a weather briefing nor file a flight plan prior to the accident flight.

WRECKAGE INFORMATION

The helicopter was examined at the site on August 7, 2010, and all major components were accounted for at the scene. The accident site was located on steep, mountainous, heavily wooded terrain, about 3,100 feet elevation, below the peak of Blood Mountain, which rose to 4,436 feet elevation. The initial impact points were in trees that stood about 6 feet apart, and were perpendicular to the direction of flight. The scars on the trees were consistent with a 200-degree direction of flight, approximately parallel with the ridge.

The downhill tree displayed a large, almost rectangular scar, about 18 inches tall and 12 inches wide. The uphill tree was scarred at the same elevation, with a deep, horizontal slash about the same dimension as the leading edge of a main rotor blade.

The main rotor hub and blade assembly, with the swashplate and support assembly attached, was located at the base of the first trees struck. One rotor blade was intact but impact damaged. The other blade was fractured and separated about 5 feet outboard of the hub. The rotor blade fragments, including the tip with tip weight attached, were accounted for farther down the wreckage path.

The initial ground scar was about 30 feet beyond the first tree strikes on a rock slope of about 60 degrees. The fall line was oriented about 090 degrees. The remainder of the helicopter was scattered down slope over a distance of about 170 feet. The tail section, with the vertical fin, tail rotor gear box, tail rotor assembly, and tail rotor driveshaft were about 100 feet below the initial ground scar. These components were impact and fire damaged. One tail rotor blade appeared severely fire-damaged. The skin was intact, but split along the trailing edge, and the core of the blade appeared consumed by fire.

The main fuselage, with the engine, transmission, and tail boom attached, came to rest against a tree about 40 feet below the tail section. The components were heavily damaged by impact and post crash fire. Control continuity could not be established, but all breaks were consistent with overload or fire damage. All of the flight instruments located were either completely destroyed, or provided no useful information.

A detailed examination of the wreckage could not be conducted at the site due to terrain, and was scheduled for a later date.

The wreckage was recovered from the site by helicopter on November 12, 2010. The complete tailrotor, tailrotor gearbox, and the empennage were stolen from the site prior to recovery. The tail rotor driveshaft was cut with a saw, forward of the gearbox, to affect the theft. A detailed examination of the remaining wreckage was conducted in Griffin, Georgia on November 18, 2010.

The examination revealed that all airframe and component damage was due to impact and fire. The engine could not be rotated due to impact, fire, and corrosion damage. Several holes were drilled in the crankcase halves, and the powertrain and valve train were examined by borescope. The borescope examination revealed no evidence of abnormal wear or pre-impact mechanical anomaly. The engine cooling fan scroll inlet lip displayed rotational scoring.

The main transmission displayed impact and fire damage, and continuity was established through the input drive to the main mast. Flight control continuity could not be established due to impact, fire, and missing components.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Division of Forensic Sciences, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, for the State of Georgia, performed the autopsy on the pilot in Decatur, Georgia. The autopsy report indicated that the pilot died as a result of “traumatic injuries…due to helicopter crash.”

The autopsy noted that the pilot had greater than or equal to 60% occlusion of unnamed cardiac vessels. It could not be determined if the pilot would have had any symptoms from his coronary artery disease and thus it cannot be determined if the condition posed a significant hazard to flight safety.

The FAA’s Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological testing of the pilot. Tissue specimens from the pilot tested positive for bupropion, diphenydramine, and phentermine.

Bupropion is an antidepressant medication used to treat major depressive disorder and seasonal affective disorder. At least one brand of bupropion (Zyban) is used to help people stop smoking by reducing cravings and other withdrawal effects.

Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine that blocks the effects of the naturally occurring chemical histamine in the body. Diphenhydramine is used to treat sneezing; runny nose; itching, watery eyes; hives; rashes; itching; and other symptoms of allergies and the common cold.

Phentermine is a stimulant that is similar to an amphetamine. Phentermine is an appetite suppressant that affects the central nervous system.

According to the FAA, Bupropion and Phentermine were not appropriate for use while flying.

It could not be determined whether the pilot's use of medications posed a significant hazard to flight safety.

The pilot's medical and pharmacology histories could not be established. Numerous records requests were made to the pilot's psychiatrist, with no response. A subpoena was then issued July 15, 2011, received, and signed for on July 19, 2011, with no response. When a follow-up telephone call was made, it was learned that the psychiatrist's practice was closed, and the telephone had been disconnected. Efforts to locate the psychiatrist were unsuccessful.

According to the pilot's May 11, 2009, Application for Airman Medical Certificate, FAA Form 8500-8, Item 17, "Do You Currently Use Any Medication (Prescription or Nonprescription)?" the pilot responded that he did not. Further, Item 18, "Have you ever in your life been diagnosed with, had, or do you presently have any of the following? (m) "Mental disorders of any sort, depression, anxiety, etc." the pilot again responded that he did not.

A review of pharmaceutical records revealed that the pilot had filled prescriptions from his psychiatrist for a wide range of anti-depressant, anti-anxiety, sleep, and stimulant medications, as well as heart medication, for years prior to his application for an FAA medical certificate.

NTSB Probable Cause

The non-instrument-rated pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.