# NTSB CEN20LA400: Safari S, N60WD, Red Bud, IL, September 19, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 19, 2020, 13:56 local (18:56 UTC) - Place: Red Bud, IL - Coordinates: 38.211666, -90.014999 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2117&lon=-90.0150&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards, Lycoming Engines - NTSB case key (mKey): 101992 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20LA400 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101992/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101992 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA400 ## Probable cause A loss of control for reasons that could not be determined. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Derousse Welda SAFARI, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=056140Q), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Derousse Welda SAFARI, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=056140Q), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Derousse Welda SAFARI, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=056140Q), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Derousse Welda SAFARI, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=056140Q), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis 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. ## Factual narrative 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. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N60WD](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N60WD-2021-08-10), registration cancelled 2021-08-10, S/N S2114, built 2002 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Safari S - Registry model: [Derousse Welda SAFARI](https://openairdocs.org/model/derousse-welda-safari) (registry code 056140Q) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-series) (registry code 41575, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter, amateur-built - Serial number: S2114 - Year built: 2002 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-J2A 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: PVT, Red Bud, IL - Airport: PVT, N/A ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 74; injuries: fatal; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: expired; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; toxicology performed; flight hours: 320 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 40° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 30.29 inHg - Observed at: SAR, 15 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20200919018089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200919018089A), Sep 19, 2020: Derousse Welda SAFARI, Red Bud, IL, Destroyed, 1 fatal. On 19SEPT 20 at 1403 N60WD, a Safari experimental amateur built crashed during landing at the aircraft owners private landing pad in Red Bud, IL. N60WD was… ## Docket (8 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 15, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101992. 34.9 MB in all. - Witness statement -- kathy birke (item 1, PDF, 3 pages, 524 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11696975&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WItness%20Statement%20--%20Birke-Rel.pdf - Witness statement -- michelle cowell (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 92 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11696727&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Witness%20Statement%20--%20Cowell_redacted-Rel.pdf - Surveillance video (item 3, EXE, 26.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11715501&FileExtension=exe&FileName=Drive%20Up%20Lane%202_20200919_133429-Rel.exe - Accident photos (item 4, PDF, 11 pages, 7.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11657148&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Report%20Photos%20--%20CEN20LA400-Rel.pdf - Examination summary (item 5, PDF, 3 pages, 149 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11656582&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Examination%20Summary%20--%20CEN20LA400-Rel.pdf - Toxicological report (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 483 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11657246&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Tox%20Rpt%20--%20Welda%20W%20Derousse_redacted-Rel.pdf - Statement of party representatives to NTSB investigation (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 134 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11655778&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Party%20Stmt%20--%20CEN20LA400%20(Lycoming)_redacted-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 8, PDF, 1 page, 171 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11656980&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Wreckage%20Release%20--%20CEN20LA400_redacted-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.