History of Flight
On December 26, 2011, about 0554 eastern standard time, a Bell 206B helicopter, N5016M, collided with terrain while maneuvering near Green Cove Springs, Florida. The airline transport pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The helicopter was substantially damaged. The helicopter was registered to Abraham Holdings, LLC, and operated by SK Logistics, doing business as SK Jets, as a 14 CFR Part 135 on-demand air taxi flight. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed along the flight route, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Mayo Clinic Heliport (6FL1), Jacksonville, Florida, about 0537 and was destined for Shands Cair Heliport (63FL), Gainesville, Florida.
The pilot received a call from a company scheduler about 0335 notifying him of the trip. About 0357, he reviewed weather reports on his computer. About 0423, he entered the SK Jets hangars at Northeast Florida Regional Airport (SGJ), St. Augustine, Florida. The helicopter conducted an uneventful repositioning flight from SGJ to 6FL1, departing about 0517 and arriving about 0530. After picking up two passengers, the helicopter departed 6FL1 to the southwest. The pilot contacted Jacksonville Approach about 0549 to inquire about restricted airspace; the controller replied they were inactive. No further communications were received. Radar data showed the helicopter's altitude varied between 450 and 950 feet agl, with airspeed about 100-110 knots. The last three radar returns indicated a right turn and 300-foot descent, placing the helicopter on a near-direct course to the destination about 450 feet agl. The last radar target was at 0553:23, indicating 81 knots. The accident site was about 1/2 mile south of the last return, with a southerly debris path. The flight was contracted by Mayo Clinic Hospital to transport a doctor and medical technician to procure an organ for transplant. The wreckage was located about 1000 by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Department Aviation Unit.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 68, was the founder, president, owner, and director of operations of SK Jets. He held an airline transport pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single and multiengine land, and commercial and flight instructor certificates with rotorcraft and instrument helicopter ratings. He also had type ratings in Learjet and Learjet 60. His most recent FAA first-class medical certificate was issued on October 5, 2011, with a corrective lenses requirement. He learned to fly at age 16, flew for the US Army, and served in Vietnam. He had accumulated 11,343 total flight hours, with 3,646 hours in helicopters, including 1,648 hours in the Bell 206. He had 3,288 hours of night experience and 3,259 hours of instrument experience. In the 90 days before the accident, he flew 10.7 hours (3.1 at night), with no instrument time. He had not flown in the 7 days prior. He was involved in a previous accident on December 22, 2007, where the helicopter struck trees while returning due to poor weather; he subsequently passed an FAA reexamination.
According to the pilot's wife, he normally awoke about 0630 and slept about 6 hours per night. On December 23, he awoke at 0630, went to the office, then spent the evening with his wife. On December 24, he awoke at 0630, napped 1800-1900, and attended midnight church services. On December 25, he returned home about 0115, slept until 0800, napped from about 1600 for 1-1.5 hours, and went to sleep between 2230 and 2300 before being awakened by the call about 0335.
Aircraft Information
The Bell 206B helicopter, manufactured in 1979, was a five-seat, single-engine, two-bladed helicopter. It was maintained under an FAA-approved manufacturer's maintenance program. The most recent inspection was a conformity inspection completed December 1, 2011, at 11,172.5 total hours. The helicopter had flown about 3.5 hours since then. The engine was a Rolls Royce 250-C20B, overhauled and installed in 2005 at 11,053.5 total engine hours; it had 167.1 hours since overhaul. The helicopter was not certified for IFR flight and lacked a radar altimeter or autopilot. It was equipped with a Garmin GNS 430 GPS receiver with modifications 1 through 5, which did not provide terrain or obstacle warning. Before the flight, the helicopter was fueled with 35 gallons of Jet A, bringing the total to about 58 gallons.
Meteorological Information
No record existed of the pilot contacting flight service; however, his laptop computer was open to aviationweather.gov displaying ADDS data for SGJ, CRG, and GNV. ADDS was not an approved weather source in SK Jets operations specifications. METARs: SGJ at 0509 reported visibility 10 miles, broken ceiling 900 feet. CRG at 0553 reported wind 010° at 6 knots, visibility 10 miles, overcast ceiling 700 feet. GNV at 0553 reported wind 020° at 3 knots, visibility 7 miles, sky clear. The accident site was near Palatka Municipal Airport (28J), which at 0554 reported wind 010° at 3 knots, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 3,800 feet. AIRMET Sierra was in effect for IFR conditions with mist and fog covering the flight route. Satellite imagery showed low clouds and stratus over the accident site near the accident time. Civil twilight began at 0654; moonset occurred the previous evening. A former company pilot described the area as susceptible to fog and a "black hole" at low altitudes. Other pilots stated they would have arranged backup transportation; none was arranged for this flight.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The debris field originated with severed pine trees, extending about 320 feet long and 70 feet wide on a magnetic course of 172°. Initial tree strike at about 30 feet height. Pieces of chin bubble, tailboom, skid, cabin doors, main rotor hub, and tail rotor blade were found along the path. The main wreckage and engine were about 175 feet along, with about 80% consumed in postcrash fire. Flight control continuity could not be confirmed due to impact and fire damage. Tail rotor drive shaft segments exhibited overload signatures. Engine examination found no preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The main rotor mast showed bending overstress separation. Annunciator panel filaments showed no stretching. The altimeter displayed 30.22 in the Kollsman window.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy listed the pilot's cause of death as multiple injuries. Toxicological testing detected Pravastatin and Zolpidem in liver and blood. The pilot's wife reported he was physically fit, wore trifocal glasses, had controlled hypertension, and took medications including Zolpidem. He had a history of insomnia, well controlled. No sudden illness was reported.
Additional Information
SK Jets was founded by the accident pilot in 1997. The fleet included four fixed-wing and three helicopters. The company used a flight risk analysis tool, but it was not completed for the accident flight. The helicopter was operating under VFR minimums; the GOM required 1000-foot ceiling and 3 miles visibility for night VFR. The flight was contracted for organ transport, with a time constraint of about 2.5 hours for transportation.