What happened
The pilot and passenger reported that as the flight approached Supply, North Carolina, weather conditions rapidly deteriorated. The helicopter encountered a significant bank of fog, causing visibility to drop to zero. The passenger noted that visual contact with the ground was completely lost during this phase of the approach.
In an attempt to improve visibility, the pilot decided to divert eastward toward the ocean and descended to a lower altitude. While maneuvering in these poor conditions, the aircraft struck a tree and subsequently crashed.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the impact. Evidence confirmed that the aircraft encountered dense fog which obscured visual references to the terrain. The pilot's decision to descend was made in an effort to escape the cloud layer or find clearer weather near the surface.