What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) At approximately 11:33 am local time, a fairchild Hiller helicopter FH-1100 crashed in a remote area called chipman preserve, near Comstock, Michigan. The sole occupant of the aircraft was the new owner and suffered fatal injuries. There was no post-crash fire. Subsequent investigation found no obvious possible reason for the crash and focused on the airworthiness of parts installed on the aircraft. During the on-scene investigation, FAA inspectors determined that there appeared to be fuel running through the fuel lines to the engine and the pilot had received in-flight instruction from a flight instructor in the previous few days. The possible cause of the accident continues to be under investigation with no possible reason immediately clear, though airworthiness of the helicopter is a focal point. The deceased pilot had just retired and had purchased the helicopter a day or two before but the bill of sale had not been processed by the FAA. He recently received dual instruction from a flight instructor who judged the airman's performance as satisfacotry. He had a third-class medical issued on may 9, 2008, which was under review by cami on the day of the fatal accident. However, results of the autopsy indicated death was caused by blunt force trauma and not physiology relating to any preexisting medical condition. The engine was crated and prepared for shipment for tear-down, per instructions from the NTSB. Though NTSB investigators were not on-scene, they assumed control of the investigation on may 17, 2008. FAA inspectors learned almost immediately that the aircraft had been involved in an on-going criminal investigation relating to the installation of possible unapproved parts. During a teleconference on may 18, 2008, an agreement was reached between the FAA, NTSB, and a law enforcement agencies involved that the NTSB accident investigation would proceed first.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 11:33 AM LOCAL TIME, A FAIRCHILD HILLER HELICOPTER FH-1100 CRASHED IN A REMOTE AREA CALLED CHIPMAN PRESERVE, NEAR COMSTOCK, MICHIGAN. THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS THE NEW OWNER AND SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES. THERE WAS NO POST-CRASH FIRE. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION FOUND NO OBVIOUS POSSIBLE REASON FOR THE CRASH AND FOCUSED ON THE AIRWORTHINESS OF PARTS INSTALLED ON THE AIRCRAFT. DURING THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION, FAA INSPECTORS DETERMINED THAT THERE APPEARED TO BE FUEL RUNNING THROUGH THE FUEL LINES TO THE ENGINE AND THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED IN-FLIGHT INSTRUCTION FROM A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR IN THE PREVIOUS FEW DAYS. THE POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT CONTINUES TO BE UNDER INVESTIGATION WITH NO POSSIBLE REASON IMMEDIATELY CLEAR, THOUGH AIRWORTHINESS OF THE HELICOPTER IS A FOCAL POINT. THE DECEASED PILOT HAD JUST RETIRED AND HAD PURCHASED THE HELICOPTER A DAY OR TWO BEFORE BUT THE BILL OF SALE HAD NOT BEEN PROCESSED BY THE FAA. HE RECENTLY RECEIVED DUAL INSTRUCTION FROM A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WHO JUDGED THE AIRMAN'S PERFORMANCE AS SATISFACOTRY. HE HAD A THIRD-CLASS MEDICAL ISSUED ON MAY 9, 2008, WHICH WAS UNDER REVIEW BY CAMI ON THE DAY OF THE FATAL ACCIDENT. HOWEVER, RESULTS OF THE AUTOPSY INDICATED DEATH WAS CAUSED BY BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA AND NOT PHYSIOLOGY RELATING TO ANY PREEXISTING MEDICAL CONDITION. THE ENGINE WAS CRATED AND PREPARED FOR SHIPMENT FOR TEAR-DOWN, PER INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE NTSB. THOUGH NTSB INVESTIGATORS WERE NOT ON-SCENE, THEY ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE INVESTIGATION ON MAY 17, 2008. FAA INSPECTORS LEARNED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ON-GOING CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION RELATING TO THE INSTALLATION OF POSSIBLE UNAPPROVED PARTS. DURING A TELECONFERENCE ON MAY 18, 2008, AN AGREEMENT WAS REACHED BETWEEN THE FAA, NTSB, AND A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES INVOLVED THAT THE NTSB ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION WOULD PROCEED FIRST.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.