Accident Details
The accident occurred during a flight intended for helicopter instruction. The pilot and owner of the helicopter arrived at the airport with the aircraft on a flatbed trailer. A certified flight instructor (CFI) was scheduled to provide instruction to the owner, who had limited flight time in the helicopter. The instruction was to include basic maneuvers such as hovering and autorotations. No witnesses were present for the pre-flight inspection, takeoff, or the flight itself.
At approximately 1520, the local fire department was notified of a fire about one mile northeast of the airport. The helicopter was subsequently located in a heavily wooded area, completely consumed by fire. Two watches discovered in the wreckage had stopped at 1410. A tree near the wreckage was found broken, but no other broken trees were observed in the vicinity. All components of the helicopter were contained within the impact area.
Wreckage Examination
Examination of the wreckage revealed that the tachometer face had been destroyed by heat, making the numbers unreadable. However, the needles remained in place, with the rotor needle split approximately 45 degrees from the engine needle. A partial teardown of the engine and a complete teardown of the transmission did not reveal any discrepancies.