What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot departed from elmer, NJ at 7:20 am for hammonton (N81) airport,new jersey to purchase jet fuel, as reported by witnesses. At 11AM family members became concerned and contacted N81 & discovered the aircraft never arrived. State and local authorities initiated a search, aircraft was located on 21 June 2005. Facts: no flight plan was filed. Weather brief: unknown. A non FAA approved, hand held ELT was found on baord the aircraft in the off position. Aircraft wreckage was contained within the immediate crash scene. Prior to impact the helicopter skids and rotor blades hit the tops of the trees. Impact site showed signs of a small post fire that self extinguished itself. Helicopter impacted an 18-inch diameter tree head on, at approximately 55 inches off the ground. Helicopter rested on it's left side after impact. Tail rotor assembly was found intact, ripped out of the tail boom mount, one tail rotor blade was damaged, consistent with striking an object. The crash scene had no odor of jet fuel. The ground under the fuel tank was not saturated with jet fuel. No visual fuel was found in the fuel tank, fuel filter or lines. Battery switch was found in the off position. No mayday or emer call made.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT DEPARTED FROM ELMER, NJ AT 7:20 AM FOR HAMMONTON (N81) AIRPORT,NEW JERSEY TO PURCHASE JET FUEL, AS REPORTED BY WITNESSES. AT 11AM FAMILY MEMBERS BECAME CONCERNED AND CONTACTED N81 & DISCOVERED THE AIRCRAFT NEVER ARRIVED. STATE AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES INITIATED A SEARCH, AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED ON 21 JUNE 2005. FACTS: NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. WEATHER BRIEF: UNKNOWN. A NON FAA APPROVED, HAND HELD ELT WAS FOUND ON BAORD THE AIRCRAFT IN THE OFF POSITION. AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS CONTAINED WITHIN THE IMMEDIATE CRASH SCENE. PRIOR TO IMPACT THE HELICOPTER SKIDS AND ROTOR BLADES HIT THE TOPS OF THE TREES. IMPACT SITE SHOWED SIGNS OF A SMALL POST FIRE THAT SELF EXTINGUISHED ITSELF. HELICOPTER IMPACTED AN 18-INCH DIAMETER TREE HEAD ON, AT APPROXIMATELY 55 INCHES OFF THE GROUND. HELICOPTER RESTED ON IT'S LEFT SIDE AFTER IMPACT. TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY WAS FOUND INTACT, RIPPED OUT OF THE TAIL BOOM MOUNT, ONE TAIL ROTOR BLADE WAS DAMAGED, CONSISTENT WITH STRIKING AN OBJECT. THE CRASH SCENE HAD NO ODOR OF JET FUEL. THE GROUND UNDER THE FUEL TANK WAS NOT SATURATED WITH JET FUEL. NO VISUAL FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANK, FUEL FILTER OR LINES. BATTERY SWITCH WAS FOUND IN THE OFF POSITION. NO MAYDAY OR EMER CALL MADE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.