20140208004499A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Panacea, FL · February 8, 2014

Date: February 8, 2014 · 19:45 local
Place: Panacea, FL
Airport: Wakulla County
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N571AC
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA14FA115
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540 series
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 2
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 335 total314 in this make and model8 in the last 90 days

N571ACRegistration cancelled Jun 1, 2015 · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 10602 · Built 2005 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 II Engine modelLycoming IO-540 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

February 8, 2014, at 1945, a Robinson 44, registered to capital helicopters LLC, lifted off facing to the south rwy 18 and then turning north from Wakulla County Airport (2J0)the helicopter collided with trees and power lines causing the helicopter to crash inverted into a swamp approximately 300 to 400 yards from the landing pad. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot and one passenger were fatalities. One passenger was seriously injured. The flight originated at Wakulla County Airport (2J0) at on February 8, 2014 at approximately 1944.

As the FAA filed it

FEBRUARY 8, 2014, AT 1945, A ROBINSON 44, REGISTERED TO CAPITAL HELICOPTERS LLC, LIFTED OFF FACING TO THE SOUTH RWY 18 AND THEN TURNING NORTH FROM WAKULLA COUNTY AIRPORT (2J0)THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH TREES AND POWER LINES CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO CRASH INVERTED INTO A SWAMP APPROXIMATELY 300 TO 400 YARDS FROM THE LANDING PAD. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE FATALITIES. ONE PASSENGER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT WAKULLA COUNTY AIRPORT (2J0) AT ON FEBRUARY 8, 2014 AT APPROXIMATELY 1944.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA14FA115Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportPanacea, FLThe pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from trees during a takeoff at night. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of recent night flight experience.Feb 9, 2014 · Substantial damage