What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) The helicopter impacted trees during cruise flight at low altitude in visual meteorological conditions. Subsequently, the helicopter impacted the ground and a fire erupted. Aboard were a 122-hour private pilot, who had just successfully completed the checkride for addition of a rotorcraft rating to his certificate, and his 8,394-hour flight instructor. The flight was en route from the airport where the checkride had taken place, and they were heading back to the airport where the helicopter was based. The accident occurred in a rural area approximately 13 nautical miles from the departure airport and along the direct route of flight to the destination. A witness observed the helicopter in cruise flight at a 'pretty low' altitude with the tail swinging from side to side. The witness reported that as the helicopter neared a 'big tree' in its flight path, the helicopter's 'nose went up a little, and the helicopter rose up over the tree.' The witness looked away, heard the noise of the helicopter stop, looked back, and 'saw pieces flying through the air.' Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the heli copter. (-23) aircraft in cruise flight, made rapid descent on course, struck trees and house. Partially consumed in post crash fire.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED TREES DURING CRUISE FLIGHT AT LOW ALTITUDE IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND AND A FIRE ERUPTED. ABOARD WERE A 122-HOUR PRIVATE PILOT, WHO HAD JUST SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE CHECKRIDE FOR ADDITION OF A ROTORCRAFT RATING TO HIS CERTIFICATE, AND HIS 8,394-HOUR FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. THE FLIGHT WAS EN ROUTE FROM THE AIRPORT WHERE THE CHECKRIDE HAD TAKEN PLACE, AND THEY WERE HEADING BACK TO THE AIRPORT WHERE THE HELICOPTER WAS BASED. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN A RURAL AREA APPROXIMATELY 13 NAUTICAL MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AND ALONG THE DIRECT ROUTE OF FLIGHT TO THE DESTINATION. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT A 'PRETTY LOW' ALTITUDE WITH THE TAIL SWINGING FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE WITNESS REPORTED THAT AS THE HELICOPTER NEARED A 'BIG TREE' IN ITS FLIGHT PATH, THE HELICOPTER'S 'NOSE WENT UP A LITTLE, AND THE HELICOPTER ROSE UP OVER THE TREE.' THE WITNESS LOOKED AWAY, HEARD THE NOISE OF THE HELICOPTER STOP, LOOKED BACK, AND 'SAW PIECES FLYING THROUGH THE AIR.' EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY ANOMALIES THAT WOULD HAVE PRECLUDED NORMAL OPERATION OF THE HELI COPTER. (-23) AIRCRAFT IN CRUISE FLIGHT, MADE RAPID DESCENT ON COURSE, STRUCK TREES AND HOUSE. PARTIALLY CONSUMED IN POST CRASH FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.