Accident Overview
On October 11, 2012, about 1958 central daylight time, a Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, registration N474FA, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during cruise flight near Blanco, Texas. The pilot and two passengers sustained fatal injuries. The helicopter was operated by Veracity Aviation LLC under 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
Flight History
The flight departed from Gillespie County Airport (T82), Fredericksburg, Texas, about 1942, en route to Huber Airpark Civic Club LLC Airport (E70), Seguin, Texas. Earlier that day, the helicopter had conducted a roundtrip cross-country flight from its home base at E70 to Midland International Airport (MAF), departing at 1241 and landing at MAF about 1503. Before the return flight, the helicopter was fueled with 37.7 gallons of 100 low-lead aviation fuel. The return flight departed MAF at 1735 and landed at T82 at about 1936, where it was fueled with an additional 15.92 gallons of 100 low-lead fuel.
Recovered GPS data indicated that after departing T82, the helicopter proceeded southeast. At 1956:50, the helicopter entered a descending left turn from a southeast to east-northeast heading at 2,517 feet GPS altitude (about 610 feet above ground level) and 72 knots ground speed. At 1957:19, the altitude was 2,396 feet (about 500 feet agl) with 73 knots. The helicopter then began climbing on a northeast heading, with ground speed decreasing from 73 to 27 knots. The final GPS data point at 1957:49 showed an altitude of 2,643 feet (about 800 feet agl) and 27 knots, located about 0.2 miles north-northwest of the accident site.
At 2006, the U.S. Air Force Rescue Coordination Center received a 406 MHz ELT signal from the helicopter. About 18 minutes later, triangulated positions were obtained, and the wreckage was located at 0824 the following morning with assistance from airborne and ground units. The accident site was in a sparsely populated, hilly area.
Pilot Information
The 35-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with helicopter and instrument helicopter ratings, as well as a flight instructor certificate with helicopter and instrument helicopter ratings. His last aviation medical examination was on March 31, 2011, when he received a second-class medical certificate without limitations. Based on logbook entries and GPS data, his total flight experience was estimated at about 1,527.3 hours, of which 543.7 hours were in the same make/model as the accident helicopter. He had flown 4.7 hours on the accident day.
The pilot had a history of alcohol-related driving offenses. On March 15, 2012, the FAA Aerospace Medical Certification Division notified him that he was not eligible to hold any medical certificate due to multiple alcohol-related offenses. Correspondence between the pilot and FAA continued through June and October 2012, but the pilot had not received the FAA's latest letter before the accident. The owner of Veracity Aviation stated he was unaware that the pilot's medical certificate had been revoked. According to flight records, the pilot had accumulated 218.1 hours since March 15, 2012, and continued to act as pilot-in-command and flight instructor during that period.
Aircraft Information
The helicopter, serial number 12517, was a four-seat, single-engine helicopter with skid landing gear. It was certified for day or night VFR but not for instrument flight. The engine was a 245-horsepower Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5. The helicopter received a Standard Airworthiness Certificate on October 14, 2008, and had undergone an annual inspection on October 3, 2012, at 993.5 hours total time. At the accident, the airframe and engine had 1,003.0 hours. No unresolved airworthiness issues were noted.
The helicopter's basic empty weight was 1,530.5 pounds, with a useful load of 969.5 pounds. Postaccident weight and balance calculations indicated the helicopter weighed about 2,501.5 pounds at departure, exceeding the maximum gross weight of 2,500 pounds, and had a center of gravity forward of the allowable limit. The front seat passenger weighed 325 pounds, exceeding the seat limit of 300 pounds.
Meteorological Conditions
At 1955, weather at Gillespie County Airport (22 miles northwest) reported wind 140° magnetic at 5 knots, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 1,900 feet agl, temperature 23°C, dew point 22°C, and altimeter 30.10 inHg. Sunset was at 1908, end of civil twilight at 1932. The moon was more than 15° below the horizon, providing no illumination. The accident site was sparsely populated with minimal ground lighting, resulting in dark nighttime conditions. A witness near the accident site reported overcast conditions and a lower cloud layer at the time, and later observed rain.
Wreckage and Impact
The initial point of impact was near the summit of a hill. A debris path oriented south-southeast included fragmented airframe and flight control components. The main wreckage was 160 feet from the initial impact, and the separated engine was 300 feet away. There was no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction of the helicopter structure, drive train, flight controls, hydraulic system, fuel system, or rotor systems. All observed fractures were consistent with overload during impact. The engine exhibited no preimpact mechanical malfunctions; compression and suction were noted on all cylinders, and spark plugs showed normal operation. The fuel sample from the self-service station was uncontaminated.