What happened
On September 1, 2012, a Johnston Douglas S Safari helicopter crashed in McVeytown, Pennsylvania, during a local flight. The aircraft, registration N70415, was being operated by a pilot who did not hold a pilot certificate.
According to a witness, the helicopter was flying away from them when it performed a 180-degree turn toward a nearby hangar. The helicopter then performed a second 180-degree turn and began to descend. The witness reported seeing a puff of smoke as the aircraft disappeared from view. The impact was vertical with minimal forward speed, and the pilot sustained 1 fatal injury.
Prior to the flight, a witness noted the pilot had checked his fuel and intended to fly a few laps before heading to a local airport to purchase more fuel. The pilot's wife believed his recent flights had been limited to practicing low-altitude lifts.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and found the main and tail rotor blades had damage consistent with an impact at low or minimal rotor speed. The engine, a Lycoming O-320, showed no mechanical anomalies, and the crankshaft and valve train were functional.
An inspection of the fuel system revealed that the right tank was empty, and the left tank contained approximately 2 pints of uncontaminated 100LL aviation fuel. No obstructions were found in the fuel or air induction systems.
Records indicated that while the pilot had received approximately 15 hours of hover practice with a kit manufacturer, he had no formal pilot certification. Additionally, there was no evidence that the pilot had registered the aircraft with the FAA following his purchase of the helicopter in March 2012.