What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On February 16, 2002, at 06:11 EST, a Bell 206L-1 helicopter, N23PJ, collided with trees while maneuvering for a landing at spruce creek airport near new smyrna beach, Florida. The on-demand air taxi flight was operated by universal air service (part 135). The pilot filed a VFR flight plan and established flight following with universal air service flight operations. Reportedly, when departing orlando executive airport (at 05:50 EST), VFR conditions existed, however, according to witnesses at or near the accident site, low clouds and reduced visibility existed at the approximate time of the accident. The pilot and his revenue female passenger received fatal injuries. The helicopter was destroyed. According to the operator, the flight was scheduled to pick up a passenger at spruce creek airport. The pilot reportedly received a weather briefing from the pie fss.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON FEBRUARY 16, 2002, AT 06:11 EST, A BELL 206L-1 HELICOPTER, N23PJ, COLLIDED WITH TREES WHILE MANEUVERING FOR A LANDING AT SPRUCE CREEK AIRPORT NEAR NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FLORIDA. THE ON-DEMAND AIR TAXI FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY UNIVERSAL AIR SERVICE (PART 135). THE PILOT FILED A VFR FLIGHT PLAN AND ESTABLISHED FLIGHT FOLLOWING WITH UNIVERSAL AIR SERVICE FLIGHT OPERATIONS. REPORTEDLY, WHEN DEPARTING ORLANDO EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (AT 05:50 EST), VFR CONDITIONS EXISTED, HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO WITNESSES AT OR NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE, LOW CLOUDS AND REDUCED VISIBILITY EXISTED AT THE APPROXIMATE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT AND HIS REVENUE FEMALE PASSENGER RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR, THE FLIGHT WAS SCHEDULED TO PICK UP A PASSENGER AT SPRUCE CREEK AIRPORT. THE PILOT REPORTEDLY RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING FROM THE PIE FSS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.