What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
December 30, 2023, 1400 local time; a helicopeter, R-44, returning from an air tour operation, part 91, with one pilot and two passengers on board and during the approach to landing phase collided mid-air with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) dji mavic 2 pro, registration # FA3XNWMRAN. The mid-air collision occured inside the class "c" airspace at Daytona Beach International Airport (dab) sw from field center bearing 234°and ~1.5NM distance or approximately 29.16°N/81.08°w. the altitude at time of impact...R-44 pilot reported 200' to 300'; UAV pilot reported 180'. The UAV impacted the R-44 advancing rotor blade on the right of the aircraft approximately 2/3RD distance from the rotor shaft. The pilot felt a low frequency vibration after the impact and executed a normal landing. No POB injuries and no collateral damage to the R-44 beyond damage to the rotor blade.
The UAV was destroyed, most of the UAV wreakage was recovered with the exception of the battery and camera.
As the FAA filed it
DECEMBER 30, 2023, 1400 LOCAL TIME; A HELICOPETER, R-44, RETURNING FROM AN AIR TOUR OPERATION, PART 91, WITH ONE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS ON BOARD AND DURING THE APPROACH TO LANDING PHASE COLLIDED MID-AIR WITH AN UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE (UAV) DJI MAVIC 2 PRO, REGISTRATION # FA3XNWMRAN. THE MID-AIR COLLISION OCCURED INSIDE THE CLASS "C" AIRSPACE AT DAYTONA BEACH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (DAB) SW FROM FIELD CENTER BEARING 234°AND ~1.5NM DISTANCE OR APPROXIMATELY 29.16°N/81.08°W. THE ALTITUDE AT TIME OF IMPACT...R-44 PILOT REPORTED 200' TO 300'; UAV PILOT REPORTED 180'. THE UAV IMPACTED THE R-44 ADVANCING ROTOR BLADE ON THE RIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT APPROXIMATELY 2/3RD DISTANCE FROM THE ROTOR SHAFT. THE PILOT FELT A LOW FREQUENCY VIBRATION AFTER THE IMPACT AND EXECUTED A NORMAL LANDING. NO POB INJURIES AND NO COLLATERAL DAMAGE TO THE R-44 BEYOND DAMAGE TO THE ROTOR BLADE.
THE UAV WAS DESTROYED, MOST OF THE UAV WREAKAGE WAS RECOVERED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE BATTERY AND CAMERA.
Other aircraft in the event · 1
Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.