20060813030469A

(-23)N168PT, A ROBINSON R-44 II HELICOPTER DEPARTED PEARSON FIELD (VANCOUVER, WA) AS PART OF A TWO SHIP FLIGHT ENROUTE TO ASTORIA, OR. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE FOR THIS OPERATION. UPON CHECKING WEATHER AT ASTORIA VIA THE ATIS, BOTH AIRCRAFT COMMUNICATED WITH EACH OTHER AND ALTERED THEIR DESTINATION TO ILLWACO, WA, ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE MOUTH OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER. THE PILOTS AND OCCUPANTS DISCUSSED OPTIONS AND DECIDED TO FLY TOWARDS THEIR FINAL DESTINATION, ALONG THE COASTLINE ADJACENT TO CAMP RILEA MILITARY RESERVATION, JUST WEST OF THE ASTORIA AIRPORT. ASTORIA WEATHER, AT THE TIME, WAS REPORTING VISIBILITY 5 MILES WITH 400' OVERCAST. THE PLAN, AS STATED BY THE PILOT OF THE COMPANION AIRCRAFT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, OPERATING BELL JET RANGER N2183Y, WAS TO REMAIN IN VMC ON TOP OVER THE CLOUD COVER (APPROXIMATELY 700') AND HEAD WEST UNTIL IT WAS CLEAR ENOUGH TO DESCEND, AND THEN COME BACK EASTWARD UNDER THE 400' CEILING. PER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, THE TOPS OF THE CLOUD LAYER WERE AT APPROXIMATELY 700' TO 800'. N2183Y WAS IN THE LEAD AND BOTH AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED WEST, 1 TO 1 1/2 MILES OFF SHORE AND BEGAN A SLOW DESCENT TOWARD THE SURFACE. THE PILOT OF THE LEAD HELICOPTER, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, STATED THAT VISIBILITY STARTED TO DECREASE. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SAID THERE WAS CONSTANT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN BOTH AIRCRAFT THROUGHOUT THE DESCENT UNTIL FINAL LOSS OF CONTACT. PER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THE LAST TRANSMISSION HEARD FROM THE MISHAP ACFT, WAS FROM N168PT PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WHO ASKED, "HOW FAST ARE YOU FLYING?" PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OF N2183Y RESPONDED, "VERY SLOW." INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM A SEPARATE INTERVIEW OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, CONDUCTED BY OREGON STATE POLICE INVESTIGATOR, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, ADDED THAT @ APPROXIMATELY 100' ABOVE THE WATER, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ RADIOED FROM N2183Y, "GO UP, GO, UP, FIVE OR SIX TIMES, WITH NO RESPONSE. NO FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS WERE HEARD FROM N168PT. NO REPORTS OF AN ELT WERE HEARD. N2183Y RETURNED TO ASTORIA AND REPORTED THE MISSING AIRCRAFT. COAST GUARD AIR STATION ASTORIA LAUNCHED AN H-60 HELICOPTER TO THE SCENE, ALONG WITH SURFACE CRAFT FROM THE CAPE DISAPPOINTMENT COAST GUARD SMALL BOAT STATION ON THE WASHINGTON SIDE OF THE RIVER. DEBRIS AND HUMAN REMAINS (THREE OCCUPANTS) WERE RECOVERED FROM THE SITE AND BROUGHT BACK TO THE COAST GUARD AIR STATION ASTORIA. DECEASED OCCUPANTS FROM N168PT WERE AS FOLLOWS: PILOT/CFI ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ (LEFT SEAT AS VERIFIED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^). PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ (RIGHT SEAT AS VERIFIED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^). PASSENGER CAMERAMAN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ (REAR SEAT AS VERIFIED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^). IT IS NOT KNOWN WHO WAS AT THE CONTROLS AT THE TIME OF IMPACT OR IF FLIGHT ISNTRUCTION WAS IN PROGRESS. BOTH PILOTS WERE CURRENT AND QUALIFIED TO OPERATE THE AIRCRAFT AS PIC. PER THE COAST GUARD AIRCREW THAT PERFORMED THE INITIAL RECOVERY, IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE TO SEE THE MISHAP FROM THE SHORE DUE TO THE LIMITED VISIBILITY. ADDITIONALLY, NO BOATS WERE IN THE AREA, THEREFORE NO EYEWITNESSES WERE AVAILABLE. PLOTTED LOCATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE IS LAT: 46.06.54 N, LON: 123.59.12 W. OCEAN DRIFT PLOTTED AT THE TIME BY CGAS ASTORIA, WAS OF A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION SO ANY DEBRIS WOULD WASH ASHORE WELL SOUTH OF THE BEACH ADJACENT TO IMPACT SITE.