History of Flight
The flight departed Tri-Cities Airport (CZG), Endicott, New York, at 2151 eastern daylight time on July 27, 2013, destined for Jake Arner Memorial Airport (22N), Lehighton, Pennsylvania. The pilot, who was not instrument rated, contacted Binghamton Approach Control and requested VFR flight following. The controller assigned a discrete transponder code and provided an altimeter setting. The flight proceeded southwest at about 3,000 feet msl, then turned southeast. At 2204, communications were transferred to Wilkes-Barre Approach Control, with the pilot reporting level at 3,000 feet. At about 2219, while flying near wind turbines in the area, the pilot reported inadvertent IMC and requested a heading to the nearest airport. Radar data showed a left turn to a northwesterly direction, followed by a descent. The pilot then stated difficulty maintaining control. At 2220, the controller asked if the pilot was having trouble maintaining altitude, which the pilot affirmed. Radar contact was lost shortly thereafter. A 406 MHz ELT signal was received at 2224, and search efforts began but were hampered by heavy fog. The wreckage was located the next day at 1350.
Personnel
The pilot, aged 30, held a commercial pilot certificate with rotorcraft-helicopter rating and a certified flight instructor certificate. He had a first-class medical certificate and reported 350 hours on his last application. His logbook showed a total time of approximately 1,335 hours, with 1,274 hours as pilot-in-command. He had logged about 92 hours of night flight time, but only 0.3 hours in the previous 30 days and 0.3 hours in the previous 90 days. He completed a Robinson R66 safety course on July 19, 2013, and had logged about 1 hour in the R66. No record of a preflight weather briefing was found. The left front seat occupant held a student pilot medical certificate and listed 10 hours flight time.
Aircraft
The helicopter was a Robinson R66 (serial 0409) manufactured in 2013, equipped with a Rolls-Royce 250-C300/A1 engine. It was approved for VFR day and night operations. The airframe and engine logbooks contained only production entries. The hour meter indicated 33.08 hours since manufacture, and the engine monitoring unit recorded 28 hours of engine run time. The helicopter had been flown from California to Virginia and Maryland in the days before the accident, with no discrepancies reported.
Meteorological Conditions
Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the area. An AIRMET for IFR conditions was valid at the time, forecasting ceilings below 1,000 feet and visibilities below 3 miles with precipitation and mist. The Weather Depiction Chart at 1800 showed IFR conditions over eastern Pennsylvania. Surface observations from nearby stations reported light rain, mist, and low ceilings. At the accident time, the closest station (AVP) reported 1.25 miles visibility, heavy rain, and broken clouds at 1,200 feet. Sunset occurred at 2025, with no lunar or solar illumination.
Flight Recorders
The Engine Monitoring Unit recorded 37 minutes 35 seconds of data from the accident flight. No exceedances were noted. Engine parameters, including N2 (main rotor speed) and torque meter oil pressure, were stable until a decrease in oil pressure began at 2220:40. The last recorded data point was at 2222:46.
Wreckage and Impact
The helicopter crashed on wooded land leased to an energy company that operated wind turbines. The turbines were unlit and down for maintenance. No damage to any turbine was found. The wreckage path was oriented on a magnetic heading of 074 degrees, with tree strikes decreasing in height. The main fuselage came to rest inverted near a creek at 41.4547°N, 076.0923°W. The fuel tank contained 54 gallons of Jet A fuel, with no breaches or spillage. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, and driveline revealed no preimpact failures or malfunctions. The throttle was in the flight position, and the collective was full up.