# Accident 20100919046719A: Halifax, MA, September 19, 2010

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 19, 2010, 13:07 local time
- Place: Halifax, MA
- Airport: Cranland
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.0251° N, 70.8381° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at CRANLAND (28M), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.0251&lon=-70.8381&mi=10
- Aircraft: NONE (not matched to a registry record)
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100919046719A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED A SMALL PRIVATE AIRPORT NAMED CRANLAND IN HANSON, MA AND CRASHED APPROXIMATELY .61 MILES AWAY IN A HEAVILY WOODED AND SWAMPY AREA NEAR THE TWIN LAKES HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN HALIFAX, MA. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPSIDE DOWN WITH THE TOP OF THE MAIN ROTOR FACING THE GROUND. THE MAJORITY OF THE AIRCRAFT'S FUSELAGE WHICH IS MADE FROM FIBERGLASS WAS CONSUMED IN A POST CRASH FIRE. THE ENGINE RUBBER SERPENTINE DRIVE BELT APPEARED INTACT, BUT THE MAIN ROTOR DRIVE BELT APPEARED TO BE CONSUMED IN THE POST CRASH FIRE AND WAS MELTED TO THE PULLEY WITH THE REINFORCING CORD DROOPING FROM THE MELTED BELT REMNANTS. MOST OF THE TAIL BOOM REMAINED INTACT BUT LAST 2FT OF THE TAIL BOOM, TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX WAS FOUND 25 YARDS IN THE DIRECTION 330 DEGREES NW FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE SITE. THE LAST 2 FT SECTION OF THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT WAS SHEARED OFF FROM THE MAIN SECTION AND FOUND 5FT FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE SITE. THERE WAS SIGNS OF TREE DAMAGE WERE THE BROKEN OFF TAIL BOOM SECTION/GEAR BOX WAS THROWN THROUGH THE WOODS AWAY FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE SITE. ONE OF THE CARBON FIBER TAIL ROTOR BLADES WAS FOUND ADJACENT TO THE REMAINING TAIL BOOM SECTION AT THE MAIN WRECKAGE SITE; THE OTHER TAIL ROTOR BLADE WAS FOUND HALF WAY BETWEEN THE MAIN WRECKAGE SITE AND WHERE THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX WAS FOUND. BOTH CARBON FIBER TAIL ROTOR BLADES WERE BROKEN AT THE ROOT WHERE THEY ARE BONDED TO THE MOUNTING PAD. THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX WAS DAMAGED FROM IMPACT, BUT STILL ROTATED FREELY. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES WHICH ARE MADE FROM ALUMINUM SHEETMETAL REMAINED INTACT WITH DENTS, AND BENDS TO THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE BLADES, BUT NEITHER BLADE DISPLAYED ANY MAJOR LEADING EDGE IMPACT DAMAGE WHICH IS TYPICAL OF A MAIN ROTOR STRIKE WHEN THE ROTOR IS UNDER POWER OR HIGH RPM. IN ADDITION, THE FOREST CANOPY (TREE TOPS) DID NOT DISPLAY MUCH DAMAGE FROM THE IMPACT OF THE AIRCRAFT OR ROTOR BLADES. THE ENGINE, EXHAUST AND ACCESSORIES REMAINED INTACT. THE PILOT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL SUFFERING FROM 3RD DEGREE BURNS OVER 30% OF HIS BODY, MULTIPLE BROKEN BONES, AND INTERNAL INJURIES AND REMAINS IN CRITICAL CONDITION. THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A MOSQUITO XEL S/N 1097. THIS MODEL AIRCRAFT IS SOLD AS AN ULTRA-LITE ROTORCRAFT WITH FLOATS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT REGISTERED, NOR WAS IT CERTIFICATED IN ANY CATEGORY. THE PILOT  IS THE HOLDER OF A COMMERICIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE WITH SEL/MEL/INS RATINGS BUT LOST HIS MEDICAL IN 2/20/2007. THE PILOT DOES NOT HOLD A ROTORCRAFT CLASS RATING ON HIS COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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