What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Helicopter struck a powerline transformer, crashed on approach to helipad, burned. (.4)after refueling, the pilot departed north from a helipad with an observer aboard. The helicopter overflew a 50 foot building located 141 feet from the pad. The helicopter started to shudder over the building and shuddered again when it crossed a powerline located 292 feet from the pad. The observer reported the helicopter did a right, flat turn. The helicopter impacted the top crossbeam of a powerline pole, then impacted the ground in a right skid down, nose low attitude. A fire erupted. The pilot was initially pinned in the wreckage, but the observer & a truck driver, who arrived at the scene, were able to extricate the pilot. Investigation revealed evidence of continuity in the flight controls and engine, but the magnetos were fire damaged & could not be tested. Performance calculations indicated that power required for a 50' hover out of ground effect (hoge) would have been 154 HP; power available should have been 173 HP. The local airport's (aviation routine weather report) METAR winds indicated 100 degrees at 7 knots. The win d stock at the helicopter pad was not functional. For takeoff, the pilot also had the option to depart the helipad on a heading of 140 degrees, or to depart on a heading of 320 degrees after back taxing about 150 feet for additional takeoff distance. The pilot received serious burns & head injuries. He was wearing a polyester based police uniform & no flight helmet or gloves. The observer was wearing a nomex flight suit and boots, but no helmet or gloves.
As the FAA filed it
HELICOPTER STRUCK A POWERLINE TRANSFORMER, CRASHED ON APPROACH TO HELIPAD, BURNED. (.4)AFTER REFUELING, THE PILOT DEPARTED NORTH FROM A HELIPAD WITH AN OBSERVER ABOARD. THE HELICOPTER OVERFLEW A 50 FOOT BUILDING LOCATED 141 FEET FROM THE PAD. THE HELICOPTER STARTED TO SHUDDER OVER THE BUILDING AND SHUDDERED AGAIN WHEN IT CROSSED A POWERLINE LOCATED 292 FEET FROM THE PAD. THE OBSERVER REPORTED THE HELICOPTER DID A RIGHT, FLAT TURN. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE TOP CROSSBEAM OF A POWERLINE POLE, THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A RIGHT SKID DOWN, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. A FIRE ERUPTED. THE PILOT WAS INITIALLY PINNED IN THE WRECKAGE, BUT THE OBSERVER & A TRUCK DRIVER, WHO ARRIVED AT THE SCENE, WERE ABLE TO EXTRICATE THE PILOT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED EVIDENCE OF CONTINUITY IN THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AND ENGINE, BUT THE MAGNETOS WERE FIRE DAMAGED & COULD NOT BE TESTED. PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS INDICATED THAT POWER REQUIRED FOR A 50' HOVER OUT OF GROUND EFFECT (HOGE) WOULD HAVE BEEN 154 HP; POWER AVAILABLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN 173 HP. THE LOCAL AIRPORT'S (AVIATION ROUTINE WEATHER REPORT) METAR WINDS INDICATED 100 DEGREES AT 7 KNOTS. THE WIN D STOCK AT THE HELICOPTER PAD WAS NOT FUNCTIONAL. FOR TAKEOFF, THE PILOT ALSO HAD THE OPTION TO DEPART THE HELIPAD ON A HEADING OF 140 DEGREES, OR TO DEPART ON A HEADING OF 320 DEGREES AFTER BACK TAXING ABOUT 150 FEET FOR ADDITIONAL TAKEOFF DISTANCE. THE PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS BURNS & HEAD INJURIES. HE WAS WEARING A POLYESTER BASED POLICE UNIFORM & NO FLIGHT HELMET OR GLOVES. THE OBSERVER WAS WEARING A NOMEX FLIGHT SUIT AND BOOTS, BUT NO HELMET OR GLOVES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.