Incident Overview
A student pilot was conducting a planned cross-country flight from Ft. Lauderdale to Pahokee, Florida, then to Stuart, Florida, with a final destination of Ft. Lauderdale. According to the Martin County Sheriff's Department, the pilot diverted the helicopter to the Martin County Treatment Center in Indiantown, Florida.
Sequence of Events
While hovering over the facility's recreation yard, the pilot picked up a passenger who was an inmate at the center. During the initial climb following takeoff from the facility, the helicopter struck a tree. Subsequently, the helicopter collided with the ground in a citrus grove located 100 yards from the treatment center's perimeter.
Aftermath
No further details about the condition of the occupants or the extent of damage to the helicopter were provided in the initial report.