Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Bell 407, N407N: Accident occurred August 24, 2012 in Abingdon, Virginia

NTSB Identification: ERA12FA527
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, August 24, 2012 in Abingdon, VA
Aircraft: BELL 407, registration: N407N
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.


On August 24, 2012, about 2230 eastern daylight time, a Bell 407, N407N, crashed into South Holston Lake during a night departure from a river bank in Abingdon, Virginia. The airline transport pilot was fatally injured. The helicopter was substantially damaged when it impacted the water. The helicopter was registered to and operated by K-VA-T&W-L Aviation LLC under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, as a personal flight. Visual night meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

According to a witness in a boat, he watched the helicopter land with the landing light on and the passengers exit the helicopter. The helicopter then departed without the landing light on and turned toward the lake, descended down an embankment, and made a turn over the lake. The helicopter traveled approximately 150 yards when the bottom skids collided with the lake. The helicopter nosed over and made a loud splash. The witness waited for a short moment and then turned on his spot light and moved towards the position of the helicopter. As he moved forward, his boat collided with the tail boom which was floating away from the fuselage. He continued forward and the cabin area was floating upside down.

The helicopter was recovered from the lake and is pending further examination by the NTSB.


 Crews have been working all afternoon to bring up the wreckage from Friday night's helicopter crash into South Holston Lake.

The helicopter cab was retrieved and hooked under a barge earlier today. It was hauled, under water, to a boat ramp across from Observation Knob Park, where officials are currently negotiating how to best haul the wreckage -- largely, the helicopter's cab -- out of the water.

The body of the pilot, Bill Starnes of Blountville, Tenn., the sole person on board, was recovered by a dive team Monday. Starnes was taking off from a private home on the Washington County, Va., side of the lake after dropping off six passengers from the Food City 250 race Friday night.

The copter broke apart when it hit the water and was scattered across the bottom of the lake in depths ranging from 25 to 80 feet, police said earlier.

The cause of the crash has not been determined and investigators said it could take 18 months to complete the investigation.

Source: http://www2.tricities.com

http://registry.faa.gov/N407N

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 407N        Make/Model: B407      Description: Bell 407
  Date: 08/25/2012     Time: 0220

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
  City: ABINGDON   State: VA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  N407N BELL 407 ROTORCRAFT CRASHED INTO A LAKE, THE 1 PERSON ON BOARD IS 
  MISSING AND PRESUMED FATAL, NEAR ABINGDON, VA

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   1
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   0
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: RICHMOND, VA  (EA21)                  Entry date: 08/27/2012

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