History of Flight
On June 2, 2019, about 1950 central daylight time, a Robinson R44 II helicopter, registration N41351, was substantially damaged when it crashed near Cass, Arkansas. The helicopter was operating as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 sightseeing flight, carrying passengers from a local music festival over a densely wooded area south of the performance arena. The helicopter was reported overdue and located by search and rescue crews in a densely wooded part of the Ozark National Forest. No witnesses observed the accident.
A witness who saw the helicopter while camping at the music festival reported seeing it flying in an area different from previous flights. He described the nose pitching up dramatically, followed by a climb, then the climb stopping and the helicopter sliding backwards tail-first before the nose pitched rapidly down. The helicopter then entered a right turn and descended out of view. It is unknown whether this sequence was the accident or a previous flight.
The surviving passenger was unable to provide a statement to investigators but stated in media interviews that “the helicopter started chugging like your car does when it runs out of fuel. The engine cut and we started dropping.”
A review of Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) data captured numerous sporadic points from multiple flights that day. The last recorded points showed the helicopter in a left turn about 200-300 ft above ground level at a groundspeed between 55 and 70 knots. The final point was about 250 yards from the accident site.
Personnel Information
The pilot’s logbooks were not available for review. On his most recent application for an FAA medical certificate, dated December 19, 2018, the pilot reported 5,000 total hours of flight experience, with 200 hours in the preceding 6 months.
Aircraft Information
The helicopter’s most recent inspection was a combined 2,200-hour overhaul, 100-hour, and annual inspection completed on May 6, 2019. During this inspection, the engine was removed, overhauled, and reinstalled. According to the helicopter’s type certificate data sheet, the unusable fuel quantity was 1 gallon.
The pilot operating handbook for the R44, Section 3, Emergency Procedures, Power Failure – General, states that an engine failure may be indicated by a change in noise level, nose left yaw, an oil pressure light, or decreasing engine rpm.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The helicopter came to rest on its right side between trees in the Ozark National Forest. The tailboom was fractured and bent to the right but remained attached via the tail rotor drive shaft. Damage was consistent with an impact with trees in a nose-low right bank. Several large branches at the site displayed cuts, and a tree trunk exhibited 45° slash marks. About 5 gallons of fuel was drained from the fuel tank. Fuel from the firewall gascolator appeared clean and free of contaminants, and the gascolator filter was clear of debris.
All main rotor blade and tail rotor linkages remained secured. Flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit controls to the swash plate to the blade pitch change links. Continuity of the main rotor drive system was confirmed by manually rotating the main rotor blades. The frame tubing displayed impact marks from the engine belt pulley, with no directional score marks on either surface. All engine drive belts remained in place and were not damaged. The attitude indicator displayed a right bank, and the airspeed indicator displayed about 88 knots. Several cockpit lights were impact damaged; of the remaining lights, the oil pressure warning light's filament was stretched. Examination of the airframe revealed no evidence of preimpact anomalies.
Examination of the engine revealed no evidence of preimpact anomalies. The fuel servo was removed and bench tested, with no malfunctions detected.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy conducted on the pilot by the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory listed the cause of death as multiple injuries and the manner of death as accident. Toxicology testing by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory was negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, and ethanol. Hydroxychloroquine was detected in the pilot’s blood and liver.