What happened
On April 29, 2024, at approximately 15:13 central daylight time, a Vertical Aviation Technologies Hummingbird 260L helicopter, N829SH, was destroyed following an accident near Spring Branch, Texas. The flight was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for the purpose of a charity golf ball drop at the River Crossing Club.
The helicopter departed from Kestrel Airpark (1T7) for a local flight. Security camera footage captured the aircraft impacting a grass field in a residential area in front of a house. The impact was followed by an explosion and fire that consumed the wreckage. The airline transport pilot and a pilot-rated passenger sustained 2 fatal injuries. There were no ground injuries reported.
The investigation
The aircraft was an experimental helicopter built in 2012, based on the Sikorsky S-52 series design. It was powered by a General Motors LS7 V8 automotive engine. Investigators recovered an Appareo Stratus unit and a Garmin D2 watch from the wreckage, both of which were sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory for analysis. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were VMC with 10 statute mile visibility, and the estimated density altitude at the nearest reporting station was 3,268 feet.