What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Crashed in a field while on an approach. (.4)during an IFR flight, the helicopter pilot was proceeding toward the destination with use of his loran. He was cleared for a vor/dme alpha approach to an airport 3 miles west of the destination helipad. (Presumably, he planned to proceed VFR from the airport to the helipad.) The approach controller observed (on radar) what appeared to be a normal approach until contact was lost at 700 feet MSL. A witness mid-way between the airport and the helipad observed the helicopter west bound at about 150 feet. A witness near the airport reported the helicopter circled his house; he then lost sight of the helicopter when it flew northwest at 200 feet into the clouds. Another witness about a mile northwest of the airport heard the helicopter fly overhead in the clouds. Both witnesses reported the helicopter descended out of the clouds in a steep descent and impacted the terrain. Examination revealed that both engines were operating; no preimpact airframe failure was noted. The weather at nearby airports was reported as 600 feet obscured with drizzle and fog. Witnesses estimated the ceiling at the accident site to be 200 to 400 feet.
As the FAA filed it
CRASHED IN A FIELD WHILE ON AN APPROACH. (.4)DURING AN IFR FLIGHT, THE HELICOPTER PILOT WAS PROCEEDING TOWARD THE DESTINATION WITH USE OF HIS LORAN. HE WAS CLEARED FOR A VOR/DME ALPHA APPROACH TO AN AIRPORT 3 MILES WEST OF THE DESTINATION HELIPAD. (PRESUMABLY, HE PLANNED TO PROCEED VFR FROM THE AIRPORT TO THE HELIPAD.) THE APPROACH CONTROLLER OBSERVED (ON RADAR) WHAT APPEARED TO BE A NORMAL APPROACH UNTIL CONTACT WAS LOST AT 700 FEET MSL. A WITNESS MID-WAY BETWEEN THE AIRPORT AND THE HELIPAD OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER WEST BOUND AT ABOUT 150 FEET. A WITNESS NEAR THE AIRPORT REPORTED THE HELICOPTER CIRCLED HIS HOUSE; HE THEN LOST SIGHT OF THE HELICOPTER WHEN IT FLEW NORTHWEST AT 200 FEET INTO THE CLOUDS. ANOTHER WITNESS ABOUT A MILE NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT HEARD THE HELICOPTER FLY OVERHEAD IN THE CLOUDS. BOTH WITNESSES REPORTED THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED OUT OF THE CLOUDS IN A STEEP DESCENT AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT BOTH ENGINES WERE OPERATING; NO PREIMPACT AIRFRAME FAILURE WAS NOTED. THE WEATHER AT NEARBY AIRPORTS WAS REPORTED AS 600 FEET OBSCURED WITH DRIZZLE AND FOG. WITNESSES ESTIMATED THE CEILING AT THE ACCIDENT SITE TO BE 200 TO 400 FEET.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.