What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 6th, 2023 at approx. 10:00PM CST, an R-44-II privacy data omitted, landed hard with resulting fire and breakup on what was believed to be a personal flight. PIC departed his residence with a passenger on board in wx below VFR minimums and at night. Forecasted wx was IFR. Local METAR for that area read; fog with ceilings between 200-500’ blowing. No known flight plan was filed.
PIC initiated a northwest departure and then made an abrupt 270 degree turn to the left and started an eastward climb. Pilot proceeded to climb slowly to approx. 400 feet at an approx. distance of 200 yards and then began a quick decent to approx. 50 feet while turning back to the right where he eventually impacted the ground. The aircraft was destroyed.
The cabin structure and components were mostly consumed by fire. The instrument console, individual instruments, one seat cushion along with some personal items were recovered in the debris field. All four seat belt buckles remained in their latches. The removable collective and cyclic controls were not installed. The removable pedals were installed. Both pilot and passenger received fatal injuries and subsequently consumed by fire.
The PIC held a pvt pilot hel certificateprivacy data omitted with no instrument rating. Also held a basic med dated 02-23-2023.
The flight originated at (residence) Port o’connor, TX and ended flight approx. 250-300 yards from away lift off location.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 6TH, 2023 AT APPROX. 10:00PM CST, AN R-44-II ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, LANDED HARD WITH RESULTING FIRE AND BREAKUP ON WHAT WAS BELIEVED TO BE A PERSONAL FLIGHT. PIC DEPARTED HIS RESIDENCE WITH A PASSENGER ON BOARD IN WX BELOW VFR MINIMUMS AND AT NIGHT. FORECASTED WX WAS IFR. LOCAL METAR FOR THAT AREA READ; FOG WITH CEILINGS BETWEEN 200-500’ BLOWING. NO KNOWN FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.
PIC INITIATED A NORTHWEST DEPARTURE AND THEN MADE AN ABRUPT 270 DEGREE TURN TO THE LEFT AND STARTED AN EASTWARD CLIMB. PILOT PROCEEDED TO CLIMB SLOWLY TO APPROX. 400 FEET AT AN APPROX. DISTANCE OF 200 YARDS AND THEN BEGAN A QUICK DECENT TO APPROX. 50 FEET WHILE TURNING BACK TO THE RIGHT WHERE HE EVENTUALLY IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.
THE CABIN STRUCTURE AND COMPONENTS WERE MOSTLY CONSUMED BY FIRE. THE INSTRUMENT CONSOLE, INDIVIDUAL INSTRUMENTS, ONE SEAT CUSHION ALONG WITH SOME PERSONAL ITEMS WERE RECOVERED IN THE DEBRIS FIELD. ALL FOUR SEAT BELT BUCKLES REMAINED IN THEIR LATCHES. THE REMOVABLE COLLECTIVE AND CYCLIC CONTROLS WERE NOT INSTALLED. THE REMOVABLE PEDALS WERE INSTALLED. BOTH PILOT AND PASSENGER RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES AND SUBSEQUENTLY CONSUMED BY FIRE.
THE PIC HELD A PVT PILOT HEL CERTIFICATE^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WITH NO INSTRUMENT RATING. ALSO HELD A BASIC MED DATED 02-23-2023.
THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT (RESIDENCE) PORT O’CONNOR, TX AND ENDED FLIGHT APPROX. 250-300 YARDS FROM AWAY LIFT OFF LOCATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N494SH · 1
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