What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Student Mr. Yonatan yoherbert martinez stated, that approximately 0930 local time, on August 2, 2004, him and the CFI pilot Mr. Chikao takayanagi, departed from tamiami airport heading west, for a 30 minute flight. This flight was his first flight ever in a helicopter. The flight was a demonstration flight that the school provided to all of the students that are enrolled in ground school to later becaome a helicopter pilot. Mr. Martinez continued saying, that approximately 20 minutes into the flight while returning back to tamiami airport, they were at an altitude of about 300 feet with an airspeed of about 60 knots, having a good time observing the wild life at the Everglades, when suddenly the helicopter started moving to the left and downward by itself. The pilot tried to regain control pulling the cyclic control stick to the right but the aircraft continued descending to the left and downward until it impacted the ground on the left side skid tube. After impact to the ground, he managed to exit the helicopter and noticed the aircraft was on fire. He immediately assisted the pilot that was on fire, out of the helicopter. He then used the pilot cell phone and called 911 operator for help.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) STUDENT MR. YONATAN YOHERBERT MARTINEZ STATED, THAT APPROXIMATELY 0930 LOCAL TIME, ON AUGUST 2, 2004, HIM AND THE CFI PILOT MR. CHIKAO TAKAYANAGI, DEPARTED FROM TAMIAMI AIRPORT HEADING WEST, FOR A 30 MINUTE FLIGHT. THIS FLIGHT WAS HIS FIRST FLIGHT EVER IN A HELICOPTER. THE FLIGHT WAS A DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT THAT THE SCHOOL PROVIDED TO ALL OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE ENROLLED IN GROUND SCHOOL TO LATER BECAOME A HELICOPTER PILOT. MR. MARTINEZ CONTINUED SAYING, THAT APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT WHILE RETURNING BACK TO TAMIAMI AIRPORT, THEY WERE AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 300 FEET WITH AN AIRSPEED OF ABOUT 60 KNOTS, HAVING A GOOD TIME OBSERVING THE WILD LIFE AT THE EVERGLADES, WHEN SUDDENLY THE HELICOPTER STARTED MOVING TO THE LEFT AND DOWNWARD BY ITSELF. THE PILOT TRIED TO REGAIN CONTROL PULLING THE CYCLIC CONTROL STICK TO THE RIGHT BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED DESCENDING TO THE LEFT AND DOWNWARD UNTIL IT IMPACTED THE GROUND ON THE LEFT SIDE SKID TUBE. AFTER IMPACT TO THE GROUND, HE MANAGED TO EXIT THE HELICOPTER AND NOTICED THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON FIRE. HE IMMEDIATELY ASSISTED THE PILOT THAT WAS ON FIRE, OUT OF THE HELICOPTER. HE THEN USED THE PILOT CELL PHONE AND CALLED 911 OPERATOR FOR HELP.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.