CEN20LA400

Witnesses observed the helicopter in a 6 to 8 ft hover when it began “spinning out of control.” It subsequently impacted a storage building before it came to rest on its left side adjacent to the building. A postimpact fire ensued and consumed the forward portion of the helicopter. A postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction; however, due to the extent of the postimpact fire, a complete examination of the helicopter was not possible. Although the witness’s report of the helicopter spinning is consistent with a loss of control, the reason for the loss of control could not be determined based on the available information.

On September 19, 2020, about 1356 central daylight time, a Safari 400 helicopter, N60WD, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Red Bud, Illinois. The pilot was fatally injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A witness was across the street mowing grass at the time of the accident when she saw the helicopter depart normally toward the east. About 15 minutes later, the helicopter approached from the south behind a funeral home located on the south side of the street, and hover-taxied along an area between a bank and a storage building where the helicopter was based. The witness looked toward the storage building and the “tail of the helicopter” appeared to contact the building. The helicopter subsequently came to rest on its left side adjacent to the building and a postimpact fire ensued. A second witness observed the helicopter hovering about 6 to 8 ft above the ground when it began “spinning out of control.” It started going “up and down” and finally “came straight down,” and collided with the storage building. Surveillance video footage from the bank depicted the helicopter hovering near a storage building shortly before the accident. The camera was motion-activated and there were significant time gaps in the footage. According to the time stamp on the video, between 1334:28 and 1334:35, the pilot hover taxied southbound between the bank and the storage building. Between 1355:59 and 1356:08, the pilot hover taxied northbound between the bank and the storage building. Upon reaching the north end of the building, the pilot turned right (toward the east). The video footage stopped even though the helicopter remained in the field of view. The footage picked up again at 1356:39 and depicted a fire adjacent to the storage building. The accident sequence itself was not captured. The helicopter appeared to be under control and operating normally during the time the camera was recording. The helicopter came to rest on its left side against the storage building oriented toward the west. The forward portion of the helicopter was destroyed by the postimpact fire. Postaccident airframe and engine examinations did not reveal any anomalies; however, the airframe examination was hindered by the extent of the postimpact fire damage.