What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 9, 2011, R-44 helicopter, N42333, was flying northwestbound towards anderson, Indiana from georgetown, Kentucky at 1500 feet above sea level. The flight was in radar contact and receiving VFR services from cincinnati approach control. At 0920 local time, the pilot told cincinnati approach control "I am going to have to descend from here at 1500 I am getting into too many clouds". Cincinnati approach lost radar contact with N42333 at 0925. The radar data from 0920 until just before the last hit at 0925 showed the flight at 1100 feet above sea level turning and then tracking westbound for about 4 miles and then tracking about a quarter of a mile back to the east before radar contact was lost. The last radar data showed 1300 feet and 45 knots. The cincinnati weather recorded 13 nautical miles to the northeast of the accident site 10 minutes before the accident was 4 miles visibilty in haze, few clouds at 1100 feet above ground level. A witness who was in her residence at the time of the accident reported that she and her husband heard the helicopter and that the weather was very foggy. The residence is on the top of the ridge and within one mile to the west of the accident site. The accident site is approximately 700 feet above sea level. Examination of the wreckage by the FAA, NTSB, Robinson helicopter and Lycoming found no mechanical defects that could have caused the accident. The pilot did not hold an instrument rating on his private pilot certificate.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 9, 2011, R-44 HELICOPTER, N42333, WAS FLYING NORTHWESTBOUND TOWARDS ANDERSON, INDIANA FROM GEORGETOWN, KENTUCKY AT 1500 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL. THE FLIGHT WAS IN RADAR CONTACT AND RECEIVING VFR SERVICES FROM CINCINNATI APPROACH CONTROL. AT 0920 LOCAL TIME, THE PILOT TOLD CINCINNATI APPROACH CONTROL "I AM GOING TO HAVE TO DESCEND FROM HERE AT 1500 I AM GETTING INTO TOO MANY CLOUDS". CINCINNATI APPROACH LOST RADAR CONTACT WITH N42333 AT 0925. THE RADAR DATA FROM 0920 UNTIL JUST BEFORE THE LAST HIT AT 0925 SHOWED THE FLIGHT AT 1100 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL TURNING AND THEN TRACKING WESTBOUND FOR ABOUT 4 MILES AND THEN TRACKING ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILE BACK TO THE EAST BEFORE RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. THE LAST RADAR DATA SHOWED 1300 FEET AND 45 KNOTS.THE CINCINNATI WEATHER RECORDED 13 NAUTICAL MILES TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE 10 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT WAS 4 MILES VISIBILTY IN HAZE, FEW CLOUDS AT 1100 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. A WITNESS WHO WAS IN HER RESIDENCE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT REPORTED THAT SHE AND HER HUSBAND HEARD THE HELICOPTER AND THAT THE WEATHER WAS VERY FOGGY. THE RESIDENCE IS ON THE TOP OF THE RIDGE AND WITHIN ONE MILE TO THE WEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE ACCIDENT SITE IS APPROXIMATELY 700 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE BY THE FAA, NTSB, ROBINSON HELICOPTER AND LYCOMING FOUND NO MECHANICAL DEFECTS THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT DID NOT HOLD AN INSTRUMENT RATING ON HIS PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.