Thursday, October 23, 2014

Cirrus SR22, N122ES, (and) Robinson R44 Raven II, N7518Q: Accident occurred October 23, 2014 near Frederick Municipal Airport (KFDK), Maryland

NTSB Identification: ERA15FA025A
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, October 23, 2014 in Frederick, MD
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22, registration: N122ES
Injuries: 3 Fatal, 1 Minor, 1 Uninjured.

NTSB Identification: ERA15FA025B 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, October 23, 2014 in Frederick, MD
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II, registration: N7518Q
Injuries: 3 Fatal, 1 Minor, 1 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The private airplane pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight, and the commercial helicopter pilot and flight instructor were conducting a local instructional flight. A review of radar and voice communications revealed that the accident airplane pilot first contacted the nonradar-equipped tower when the airplane was 10 miles from the airport and that the local controller (LC) then acknowledged the pilot’s transmission and instructed him to contact the tower when he was 3 miles from the airport. At this time, the LC was also handling two helicopters in the traffic pattern, one airplane conducting practice instrument approaches to a runway that intersected the runway assigned to the accident airplane, another airplane inbound from the southeast, and a business jet with its instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance on request. About 1 minute after the accident airplane pilot first contacted the LC, the LC began handling the accident helicopter and cleared it for takeoff. One minute later, the controller issued the business jet pilot an IFR clearance. When the accident airplane was 3 miles from the airport, the pilot reported the airplane’s position to the controller, but the controller missed the call because she was preoccupied with the clearance read-back from the business jet pilot. About 1 minute later, the controller instructed the accident airplane pilot to enter the left downwind leg of the traffic pattern on a 45-degree angle and issued a landing clearance. She advised that there were three helicopters “below” the airplane in the traffic pattern, and the pilot replied that he had two of the helicopters in sight. Data downloaded from the airplane and witnesses on the ground and in the air indicated that, as the airplane entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, it flew through the accident helicopter’s rotor system at the approximate point where the helicopter would have turned left from the crosswind to the downwind leg. Because of a specific advisory transmitted on the tower radio frequency advising of traffic on the downwind, the pilot of each accident aircraft was or should have been aware of the other. A witness in the helicopter directly behind the accident helicopter had a similar field of view as the accident helicopter, and he reported that he acquired both accident aircraft in his scan before the collision. Given this statement and that the accident helicopter had two commercial pilots in the cockpit, the pilots should have had the situational awareness to understand the conflict potential based on the airplane’s position reports. Although the airplane was equipped with a traffic advisory system, its capabilities could have been limited by antenna/airframe obstruction or an inhibition of the audio alert by the airplane’s flap position.

The airplane’s data indicated that the collision occurred at an altitude of about 1,100 ft mean sea level (msl). The published traffic pattern altitude (TPA) for light airplanes was 1,300 ft msl. Although several different helicopter TPAs were depicted in locally produced pamphlets and posters and reportedly discussed at various airport meetings, there was no published TPA for helicopters in the airport/facility directory or in the tower’s standard operating procedures. According to the Federal Aviation Administration’s Aeronautical Information Manual, in the absence of a published TPA, the TPA for helicopters was 500 ft above ground level; therefore, the appropriate TPA for helicopters at the accident airport was about 800 ft msl. The lack of an official helicopter TPA, which was published after the accident, significantly reduced the potential for positive traffic conflict resolution. Review of the airport procedures, tower capabilities, and the controller’s actions revealed no specific departure from proper procedures. Because the tower was not equipped with radar equipment, all of the sequencing and obtaining of traffic information had to be done visually. This would have been especially difficult at the accident airport due to the local terrain and tree lines that extend above the pattern altitudes from the tower controllers’ view, which can cause aircraft to easily blend in with the background. Further, the controller spent a lengthy amount of time on the task of issuing the IFR clearance to the business jet while handling multiple aircraft in the traffic pattern. It is likely that the lack of radar equipment in the tower and the controller’s inadequate task management also significantly reduced the potential for positive traffic conflict resolution.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The failure of the helicopter pilots and the airplane pilot to maintain an adequate visual lookout for known traffic in the traffic pattern, which resulted in a midair collision. Contributing to the accident were the airplane pilot's descent below the published airplane traffic pattern altitude (TPA) and the helicopter pilot’s climb above the proper helicopter TPA as prescribed in the Federal Aviation Administration's Aeronautical Information Manual for airports without published helicopter TPAs. Also contributing to the accident were the lack of a published helicopter TPA, the absence of radar equipment in the tower, and the controller’s inadequate task prioritization.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On October 23, 2014, about 1537 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus SR22 airplane, N122ES, operated by a private individual, and a Robinson R44 II helicopter, N7518Q, operated by Advanced Helicopter Concepts, collided in midair approximately 1 mile southwest of the Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK), Frederick, Maryland. The airplane departed controlled flight after the collision, the ballistic parachute system was deployed, and the airplane landed nose-down in a thicket of low trees and brush. The helicopter also departed controlled flight, descended vertically, and was destroyed by impact forces at ground contact. The private pilot on board the airplane was not injured, and his passenger sustained a minor injury. The flight instructor, commercial pilot, and a passenger in the helicopter were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the airplane, which departed Cleveland, Tennessee, on a personal flight about 1247. No flight plan was filed for the helicopter, which departed FDK on an instructional flight about 1535. The flights were conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91.

Witnesses on the ground watched the aircraft approach each other at the same altitude and saw the collision. One witness said the helicopter appeared to be in a stationary hover as the airplane closed on it and the two collided. She said neither aircraft changed altitude as they approached each other.

A flight instructor for the helicopter operator in a company Robinson R22 helicopter followed the accident helicopter in the traffic pattern for landing abeam runway 30 in the infield sod at FDK. He said his helicopter had just completed the turn onto the crosswind leg of the traffic pattern when the accident helicopter came into his view to his front at about the point where it would turn to the downwind leg of the pattern. At the same time, the airplane appeared in his field of view as it "flew through the rotor system" of the helicopter.

Radar and voice communication information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as well as interviews conducted with air traffic controllers, revealed the following:

At 1534:10, the accident airplane first contacted the FDK tower and was about 10 miles west of the field at 3,000 feet. The local controller (LC) acknowledged the pilot's transmission and instructed him to report 3 miles west for a left downwind to runway 30. At 1534:31, the pilot of the accident airplane acknowledged and read back the controller's instructions.

At the time the accident airplane contacted the LC, other traffic being handled by the tower included two helicopters ( two company helicopters N2342U and N444PH) in the VFR traffic pattern, one airplane conducting practice instrument approaches to runway 23, another airplane inbound from the southeast, and a business jet (N612JD) with its IFR clearance on request.

At 1535:02, the LC then cleared the accident helicopter for take-off from alpha taxiway as requested and issued the current winds, and the call was acknowledged.

At 1536:02, the LC contacted the pilot of N612JD and advised she was ready to issue the airplane's instrument clearance. From 1536:06 to 1536:49 (43 seconds), the controller issued the clearance.

At 1536:49, the pilot of N612JD read back his clearance as required. Also at 1536:49, during the read back from N612JD, the pilot of the accident airplane reported on local frequency that he was 3 miles out on a 45-degree entry for runway 30, which the LC did not hear because she was listening to the read back from N612JD on ground control frequency.

At 1537:09, the LC transmitted to helicopter N444PH, "…four papa hotel option to the grass at your own risk use caution and on uh next go around stay at a thousand feet. I have traffic in the downwind."

At 1537:22, the LC instructed the accident airplane to report midfield left downwind for runway 30 and said "I have three helicopters below ya in the uh traffic pattern". At 1537:30, the pilot of the accident airplane acknowledged the request to report midfield downwind and stated he had two of the helicopters in sight. Immediately after that transmission, at 1537:34, the LC said "Alright uh two echo sierra, I have ya in sight runway three zero, maintain your altitude to…until turning base, cleared to land."

At 1537:41, cries were heard over the local frequency, and, at 1537:49, the pilot of a helicopter in the traffic pattern reported that an airplane and helicopter were both "down."

The pilot of the accident airplane was interviewed and provided written statements. His recollection of the flight was consistent with voice, radar, and aircraft data. The pilot stated that as he descended and slowed for the traffic pattern entry, he set the flaps to 50 percent.

The pilot stated that, about the time the airplane entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, the tower controller issued a landing clearance, and, "out of nowhere…I saw a helicopter below me and to the left…" The pilot initiated an evasive maneuver, but he "heard a thump," and the airplane rolled right and nosed down. The pilot deployed the ballistic recovery system, and the airplane's descent was controlled by the parachute to ground contact.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The airplane pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued April 31, 2014. He reported 959 total hours of flight experience, of which 804 hours were in the accident airplane make and model.

The flight instructor on board the helicopter held commercial pilot and flight instructor certificates with ratings for rotorcraft-helicopter and instrument helicopter. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued April 31, 2014. Examination of his logbook revealed 832 total hours of flight experience, of which 116 hours were in the accident helicopter make and model.

The helicopter pilot held commercial pilot and flight instructor certificates with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, rotorcraft-helicopter and instrument helicopter. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued April 29, 2013, and he reported 2,850 total hours of flight experience on that date. Excerpts of a pilot logbook for his helicopter time revealed 1,538 total hours of helicopter experience. A review of records revealed that he stopped flying as a helicopter tour pilot in 1994. During the years following, he logged five or fewer helicopter flights per year. Between 2004 and 2011, he logged one flight per year, none in 2011, and one in 2012. In 2014, he logged two flights in September, and two in October prior to the accident flight.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

According to FAA records, the airplane was manufactured in 2006. Its most recent annual inspection was completed June 13, 2014, at 1,289.8 total aircraft hours.

The helicopter was manufactured in 2004. Its most recent 100-hour inspection was completed October 2, 2014, at 1,758 total aircraft hours.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The 1553 weather observation at FDK included scattered clouds at 4,800 feet, 10 miles visibility, and wind from 330 degrees at 16 knots gusting to 21 knots.

The was 26 degrees above the horizon, and the sun angle was from 225 degrees.
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL

The air traffic control (ATC) group was formed on October 23, 2014. The group consisted of the group chairman from operational factors and a representative from the FAA compliance services group.

The group reviewed radar data provided by the FAA from Potomac TRACON (PCT), ATC voice recordings, controller training and qualification records, facility logs, standard operating procedures (SOP), letters of agreement (LOA), controller work schedules, and other related documentation. Additionally, the group conducted interviews with the LC who provided services at the time of the accident and the off-duty controller who witnessed the accident and assisted with initial notifications and the after-action response. Tenant operators on the airport were interviewed, including the operator of the accident helicopter. The group also held discussions with the air traffic manager (ATM) at FDK.

When asked what the traffic pattern altitudes (TPAs) were at FDK, both controllers, as well as the ATM, stated that the altitudes were 900 feet mean sea level (msl) for helicopters, 1,300 feet msl for small fixed-wing airplanes, and 1,800 feet msl for large fixed-wing airplanes and twins. When asked the origin of these TPAs and where they were published, the LC stated that they were published in the SOP and airport/facility directory (AFD). The witnessing controller thought the helicopter TPA was published in the local noise abatement procedures, but not in the AFD, but that the fixed-wing TPAs were in both. The ATM stated that only the fixed-wing TPAs were published in the AFD and that the helicopter TPA had been inadvertently left out without them realizing. The ATM stated that helicopter TPA was agreed upon during meetings with tower personnel, airport management, and airport tenants prior to the tower's commissioning. The facility was unable to produce any documentation that these meetings were ever held, and they were also unable to produce any documentation of the 900-foot msl helicopter TPA they had mentioned. The only documentation that was found was from old, locally produced noise abatement procedures.

According to FAA Order 7210.3Y, minutes of the meeting were to be taken and distributed to "the appropriate Service Area" office and to each attendee. These minutes were neither recorded nor distributed.

In an interview, the helicopter operator was asked for a copy of his flight school's SOP. He stated there was none. The policies and procedures were made by him, and distributed by word of mouth in periodic meetings. During an initial discussion, the operator stated that the helicopter TPA was between 900 and 1,000 feet msl, and 1,200 feet msl for autorotations. When asked how he decided upon the TPA of 900 feet msl for his pilots and students. He said, "It just kind of morphed into that. The airplanes are at 1,300 feet msl, and we thought we should be below that. They never published that in the AFD, and I wish they would."

According to the chief pilot for the helicopter operator, a 14 CFR Part 141 application would soon be submitted and an SOP would be published concurrent with the application.

AERODROME INFORMATION

FDK was at an elevation of 306 feet and was tower controlled. The tower was an FAA contract tower and was not radar-equipped.

Runway 5/23 was 5,219 feet long and 100 feet wide, and was located along the east side of the field. Runway 12/30 was 3,600 feet long, 75 feet wide, and located on the north side of the field. The two runways intersected at the approach end of runways 23 and 30.

The published TPA in the AFD for single-engine and light-twin airplanes was 1,300 feet msl, and 1,800 feet msl for heavy multiengine and jet airplanes. The traffic pattern was a standard left-hand pattern.

There was no published traffic pattern or TPA for helicopters in the AFD at the time of the accident. According to the FAA's Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM), in the absence of a published TPA for helicopters, the helicopter TPA was 500 feet agl, or about 800 feet msl at FDK.

A pamphlet produced by the City of Frederick, Maryland, depicted the airport traffic patterns and identified the helicopter TPA as 1,100 feet msl.

A poster of the pamphlet's depiction was posted around the airport, and it also identified the helicopter TPA as 1,100 feet msl.

The SOP for the contract operator of the tower had no TPAs published. However, when interviewed, the LC on duty at the time of the accident stated the TPA for helicopters was 900 feet per the SOP.

As a result of the investigation, the AFD was updated on January 8, 2015, with a recommended TPA for helicopters of 1,106 ft msl/800 feet agl.

Radar Data

Radar data for the flights was obtained by the FAA from several radar sites in the area surrounding FDK. Radar data recorded the flight track of the accident airplane until seconds before the accident; however, no data were recorded for the accident helicopter.

At the time of the accident, the floor of the Potomac TRACON radar coverage in the area surrounding FDK appeared to be about 1,200 feet msl. The helicopter never climbed into radar coverage, and the collision between the helicopter and the airplane occurred below the area of radar coverage.

WRECKAGE INFORMATION

The helicopter wreckage and its associated debris came to rest in a self-storage complex between two buildings, with parts and debris scattered in and around the complex. All major components were accounted for at the scene. The main wreckage came to rest largely upright, and the cockpit, cabin area, fuselage, tailboom, engine, transmission, with main and tail rotors attached. All components were significantly damaged and deformed by impact forces. The "blue" main rotor blade was fractured near its root, and the outboard 11 feet of main rotor spar was located 50 feet from the main wreckage with no honeycomb or blade skin afterbody material attached.

Control continuity could not be established due to numerous fractures in the system, but all fractures exhibited features consistent with overload.

The airplane came to rest nose down, in a dense thicket of brush and low trees, wedged between tree trunks, and held in that position. All major components were accounted for at the scene, except for the right wing flap, aileron, and right landing gear wheel and tire assembly which were located between the helicopter and airplane sites. Examination of the airplane revealed that the trailing edge of the right wing was impact-damaged, and that the flap and aileron hinges were significantly damaged and twisted, and the surrounding sheet metal displayed "saw-tooth" fractures, consistent with overload. The structural cable between the wing strut and the empennage was still attached at each end, but missing a 5-foot section in the middle. The two severed ends displayed features consistent with overload. The empennage displayed a vertical opening and parallel slash marks.

Examination of the cockpit revealed the flap switch handle was in the "50 percent" position; however, the flaps and the flap actuator were positioned consistent with a flaps-up position. Because power was applied to all systems throughout the flight and after ground contact, the flap position could not be determined prior to the collision.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Office the Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Maryland performed autopsies on the helicopter flight instructor and helicopter pilot. The autopsy reports listed the cause of death for each as "blunt impact injuries."

The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological testing of the helicopter flight instructor and helicopter pilot. The tests for each were negative for the presence of carbon monoxide, cyanide, and ethanol.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Avidyne Primary Flight Display (PFD) Description

The PFD unit from the accident airplane included a solid state Air Data and Attitude Heading Reference System (ADAHRS) and displayed aircraft parameter data including altitude, airspeed, attitude, vertical speed, and heading. The PFD unit had external pitot/static inputs for altitude, airspeed, and vertical speed information. Each PFD contained two flash memory devices mounted on a riser card. The flash memory stored information the PFD unit used to generate the various PFD displays. Additionally, the PFD had a data logging function, which was used by the manufacturer for maintenance and diagnostics. Maintenance and diagnostic information recording consisted of system information, event data and flight data.

The PFD sampled and stored several data streams in a sequential fashion; when the recording limit of the PFD was reached, the oldest record was dropped and a new record was added. Data from the Attitude/Heading Reference System (AHRS) was recorded at a rate of 5 Hz. Air data information such as pressure altitude, indicated airspeed, and vertical speed was recorded at 1 Hz. GPS and navigation display and setting data were recorded at a rate of 0.25 Hz, and information about pilot settings of heading, altitude, and vertical speed references were recorded when changes were made.

According to the data, at 15:34:30, about 9 miles from the airport, the airplane initiated a descent out of 3,000 feet msl. The descent rate varied between 500-1000 fpm. The descent stopped at 1,600 feet pressure altitude (1,582 feet indicated) for about 10 seconds, at 15:36:40. The airplane then continued its descent at an approximate rate of 700 fpm.

As the descent continued, the airplane entered a right bank of about 15 degrees about 1.5 miles from the airport. While descending and turning right, pitch, vertical, longitudinal, and lateral acceleration experienced a loading event simultaneously at 15:37:36.

When this occurred, the aircraft was 0.75 miles from the field at 1,045 feet pressure altitude (1,027 feet indicated) and 100 kts indicated airspeed. Following the loading, the aircraft rolled a full 360 degrees to the right, pitch recorded extremes of 21 degrees nose- up to 80 degrees nose-down, and heading spun nearly 720 degrees to the right.

Following the loading, altitude was maintained for about 3 seconds before dropping at a maximum recorded rate of 5,470 fpm. The aircraft came to rest at 15:37:52 at 330 feet pressure altitude in a 75-degrees nose-down attitude with the wings rolled 46 degrees to the left. The recording ended with the aircraft static in these conditions.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Traffic Advisory System

The accident airplane was fitted with an L-3 Avionics SKYWATCH Traffic Advisory System (TAS). As installed, the system included an L-3 Avionics SKY 497 transmitter/receiver unit and an L-3 Communications antenna. The traffic information developed by the SKY 497 system was displayed in the cockpit and provided an audio alert.

According to the manufacturer, the SKYWATCH TAS monitored the airspace around the aircraft for other transponder-installed aircraft by querying Mode C or Mode S transponder information. These data would then be displayed visually to the pilot in the cockpit. The system also provided aural announcements on the flight deck audio system. The audio alert would be inhibited at 50 percent and 100 percent flap settings.

If an intruder aircraft's transponder did not respond to interrogations, the TAS would not establish a track on that aircraft. The system was not equipped with recording capability.

The SKYWATCH system operated on line-of-sight principles. If an intruder aircraft's antenna was shielded from the SKYWATCH system antenna, the ability of the SKY 497 to track the target would be affected. If a SKY 497-equipped aircraft was located directly above an intruder, the airframe of one or both of the aircraft could cause the SKY 497's interrogations to be shielded, depending on antenna location (top-mounted on the accident airplane). The SKY 497 also had the capability to coast (predict) an intruder's track to compensate for a momentary shielding.
In an interview with state police immediately after the accident, the pilot explained the operation of the system to the trooper conducting the interview, and stated he did not receive a traffic alert prior to the collision.

FAA Advisory Circular 90-48c

"Pilots should also be familiar with, and exercise caution, in those operational environments where they may expect to find a high volume of traffic or special types of aircraft operation. These areas include Terminal Radar Service Areas (TRSAs), airport traffic patterns, particularly at airports without a control tower; airport traffic areas (below 3,000 feet above the surface within five statute miles of an airport with an operating control tower…"


NTSB Identification: ERA15FA025A
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, October 23, 2014 in Frederick, MD
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22, registration: N122ES
Injuries: 3 Fatal,1 Minor,1 Uninjured.


NTSB Identification: ERA15FA025B 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, October 23, 2014 in Frederick, MD
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II, registration: N7518Q
Injuries: 3 Fatal,1 Minor,1 Uninjured.

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. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On October 23, 2014, about 1537 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus SR22 airplane, N122ES, and a Robinson R44 II helicopter, N7518Q, operated by Advanced Helicopter Concepts, collided in midair approximately 1 mile southwest of the Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK), Frederick, Maryland. The helicopter departed controlled flight after the collision, descended vertically, and was destroyed by impact forces at ground contact. The airplane also departed controlled flight, the ballistic parachute system was deployed, and the airplane landed nose-down in a thicket of low trees and brush. The flight instructor, commercial pilot receiving instruction, and a passenger in the helicopter were fatally injured. The private pilot on board the airplane was not injured, and his passenger sustained a minor injury. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the airplane, which departed Cleveland, Tennessee on a personal flight about 1247. No flight plan was filed for the helicopter, which departed FDK on a pre-rental check-out flight about 1535. Both flights were conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

Preliminary radar and voice communication information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that the accident airplane first contacted the FDK local controller at 1534:10 approximately 10 miles west of the field at an altitude of 3,000 feet. The local controller acknowledged the pilot's transmission and instructed him to report three miles west of the airport for a left downwind to runway 30. The pilot acknowledged and read back the controller's instructions.

At the time the accident airplane contacted the local controller, traffic handled by the tower included two helicopters in the traffic pattern, one airplane conducting practice instrument approaches to runway 23, another airplane inbound from the southeast, and also a business jet with its IFR clearance on request.

At 1535:02, the controller cleared the accident helicopter for take-off from taxiway alpha, issued the current winds, and the call was acknowledged.

At 1536:49, the pilot of the accident airplane reported that he was three miles from the airport on a 45-degree entry for the downwind for landing on runway 30.

At 1537:22, the local controller instructed the airplane to report midfield left downwind for runway 30 and said, "I have three helicopters below ya in the uh traffic pattern". At 1537:30, the pilot of the airplane acknowledged the request to report midfield downwind and stated he had two of the helicopters in sight. Immediately after that transmission, at 1537:34, the local controller said, "Alright uh two echo sierra, I have ya in sight runway three zero, maintain your altitude to…until turning base, cleared to land."

At 1537:49, the pilot of another helicopter in the traffic pattern reported that an airplane and helicopter were both "down."

Witnesses on the ground observed the aircraft converge at the same altitude. One witness said the helicopter appeared to be in a stationary hover as the airplane approached it and the two subsequently collided. She said neither aircraft changed altitude as they approached each other.

A flight instructor for the operator in another company helicopter followed the accident helicopter in the traffic pattern for landing abeam runway 30. He said his helicopter had just completed the turn onto the crosswind leg of the traffic pattern, when the accident helicopter came into his view. At the same time, the airplane appeared in his field of view as it "flew through the rotor system" of the helicopter.

The pilot of the accident airplane was not immediately available for interview.

The airplane pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued April 31, 2014. He reported 1,080 total hours of flight experience, of which 1,000 hours were in the accident airplane make and model.

The flight instructor held commercial pilot and flight instructor certificates with ratings for rotorcraft-helicopter and instrument helicopter. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued April 31, 2014. Examination of his logbook revealed 832 total hours of flight experience, of which 116 hours were in the accident helicopter make and model.

The pilot receiving instruction held commercial pilot and flight instructor certificates with ratings for airplane single engine land, multiengine land, rotorcraft-helicopter and instrument helicopter. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued April 29, 2013, and he reported 2,850 total hours of flight experience on that date. Excerpts of a pilot logbook revealed 1,538 total hours of helicopter experience.

The 1553 weather observation at FDK included scattered clouds at 4,800 feet, 10 miles visibility, and winds from 330 degrees at 16 knots gusting to 21 knots.

FDK was located at an elevation of 306 feet and the air traffic control tower was operating at the time of the accident. The published traffic pattern altitude for single-engine and light-twin airplanes was 1,300 feet mean sea level (msl), and 1,800 feet msl for heavy multiengine and jet airplanes. The traffic pattern was a standard left-hand pattern, and there was no published traffic pattern or altitude for helicopters.

The helicopter wreckage and its associated debris came to rest in a self-storage complex between two buildings, with parts and debris scattered in and around the complex. All major components were accounted for at the scene. The main wreckage came to rest largely upright, and included the cockpit, cabin area, fuselage, tailboom, engine, transmission, and main and tail rotors. All components were significantly damaged and deformed by impact forces. The "blue" main rotor blade was fractured near its root, and the outboard 11 feet of main rotor spar was located 50 feet from the main wreckage with no honeycomb or blade skin afterbody material attached.

Control continuity could not be established due to numerous fractures in the system, but all fractures exhibited features consistent with overload.

The airplane came to rest nose down, in a dense thicket of brush and low trees, wedged between tree trunks, and held in that position. All major components were accounted for at the scene, except for the right wing flap, aileron, and right landing gear wheel and tire assembly, which were located between the helicopter and airplane sites. Examination of the airplane revealed that the trailing edge of the right wing was impact-damaged. The flap and aileron hinges were significantly damaged and twisted, and the surrounding sheet metal displayed "saw-tooth" fractures, consistent with overload.




Any witnesses should email witness@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov.

Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standards District Office: FAA Baltimore FSDO-07

Description: A CIRRUS SR22 (N122ES) COLLIDED IN FLIGHT WITH A ROBINSON R44 HELICOPTER (N7158Q) ABOUT ONE-HALF MILE SOUTHWEST OF FREDERICK AIRPORT. ALL 3 PERSONS IN R44 WERE FATAL. BOTH PERSONS IN CIRRUS SR-22 RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. NO GROUND INJURIES. CIRRUS SR22 WAS INBOUND FOR LEFT DOWN TO VISUAL RUNWAY 30. ROBINSON R-44 WAS CONDUCTING LOCAL CLOSED-PATTERN TRAFFIC WITH TWO OTHER TRAINING HELICOPTERS OVER A NEARBY GRASS INFIELD NON-MOVEMENT AREA. WEATHER WAS VFR. THE CONTRACT TOWER CONTROLLER WAS COMMUNICATING WITH BOTH AIRCRAFT.

http://registry.faa.gov/N122ES

http://registry.faa.gov/N7518Q


The pilot of the airplane that collided with a helicopter near Frederick Municipal Airport last month told state police his onboard collision avoidance system did not warn him before the fatal crash.

State police interviewed Scott V. Graeves, the 55-year-old pilot of the Cirrus SR22, at the emergency room at Meritus Medical Center several hours after the October 23 collision. Graeves said his “traffic alert” system never alerted him to the presence of other aircraft in the area, according to a Maryland State Police incident report obtained by The Frederick News-Post through a Maryland Public Information Act request.

The police report explains that the traffic alert system Graeves referred to is a system that uses the transponder signals given off by other aircraft to alert pilots their proximity to avoid a collision.

The Cirrus SR22 collided with the helicopter, a Robinson R44, about 1,100 to 1,200 feet above ground at about 3:40 p.m., according to the National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary report. All three occupants of the helicopter were killed in the collision, but Graeves and his passenger, 75-year-old Gilbert L. Porter, were almost unharmed.

Christopher D. Parsons, 29, of Westminster, William Jenkins, 47, of Morrison, Colorado, and Breandan J. MacFawn, 35, of Cumberland, were the three men who died in the helicopter.

Graeves was told three helicopters were in the vicinity when he made his second contact with the Frederick air traffic control tower about 3 miles from the airport as he was making his approach, according to both the NTSB and the state police reports.

“[Graeves] instructed the tower he could see two [helicopters] (one was at the 12 o'clock position in front of him and the second was at a distance to his 9 o'clock position),” the police report states. “He explained as soon as he informed the tower of that he observed, to his immediate left (9 o'clock position) the third helicopter was very close to his aircraft.”

Graeves told police that he then pulled sharply on the controls to gain altitude and avoid the helicopter, but he felt the collision on the left side of the plane in the wing or wheel area, the report states. Graeves activated the plane's emergency parachute, and the plane landed in a treeline off Monocacy Boulevard.

State police also interviewed two men who witnessed the collision from the rear of 1317 Bucheimer Road where one of the men, Jason Nelson, was working on his tow truck. After seeing the two aircraft collide, Nelson and a co-worker, Jonathan Francis, jumped into the truck and drove to the plane's crash site.

“Nelson stated that once they reached the airplane the pilot and front seat passenger were still inside the airplane,” the report states. “The pilot was assisted out of the plane by citizens who had come to help. Nelson and several others walked to the passenger side of the airplane where they assisted the elderly passenger out.”

When troopers spoke to Porter in the hospital, he told them there were “several heroes on the ground,” according to the report. Porter said the plane was leaking fuel when several bystanders came to his and Graeves' aid.

Francis said that he met a police officer and saw an ambulance nearby after he had helped Nelson and others get Graeves and Porter out of the plane, the report states. After directing police to the plane, Francis went to the helicopter crash site in the Frederick Self Storage lot off Monroe Avenue, where he waited for police.

- Source:  http://www.fredericknewspost.com



The first 911 call after the deadly midair collision near Frederick Municipal Airport last week came at almost the same instant an airport tower employee called to report the collision. 

 A recording of 911 calls made to the Frederick County Emergency Communications Center was obtained by The Frederick News-Post through a Maryland Public Information Act request. A call at 3:37 p.m. Oct. 23 came from a man who gave dispatchers the first report. A woman who identified herself as an air tower employee called another dispatcher just a second later, the recordings show.

“It was a green helicopter," said one male voice, and "... I was getting ready to say, man, it looked like an optical illusion,” said a second voice, just as a dispatcher picked up the first 911 call.

“I’m not sure,” the caller told the dispatcher when asked where the emergency was. “I believe over the Frederick Fairgrounds, possibly a helicopter and a plane has collided near the airport or the fairground.”

Another dispatcher was already taking down details from the air tower employee while the first caller explained how he thought he saw a parachute in the sky immediately after the collision.

Brian Rayner, the National Transportation Safety Board's lead investigator for the collision, later confirmed that the parachute was an onboard safety device designed to help stabilize and safely land the airplane, a Cirrus SR22 propeller plane, but in the frantic moments after the collision, even the air tower employee was unsure whether the parachute came from the plane or a passenger.

“Yes, it appears the aircraft, it appears the pilot ejected, uh, I did see a parachute, not sure if it was a collision,” the woman from the tower said between questions from dispatchers picked up in the 911 call recordings. “... Um, the aircraft appears to have crashed approximately a half a mile west of the field, it is just off of the airfield. If the emergency vehicles proceed to the field, we can direct them, it’s over by the advance helicopter training.”

Kristie Dutrow, quality assurance and training coordinator with the emergency communications center, said at least one 911 call was redacted from the recordings given to The News-Post due to health privacy concerns, but the newspaper received recordings of 10 calls from nine witnesses and the air tower employee.

In one of the last calls, a woman described the collision.

“I actually watched it while it happened, in other words, the plane veered and hit the helicopter straight on,” the woman told dispatchers, explaining how she had tried to call 911 earlier but was not able to get through until her second attempt at 3:43 p.m.

“Yeah, we’ve received multiple calls,” a dispatcher told the woman during the brief conversation. "We have actually a couple units that are there now and a lot more on the way."

After the first several calls, dispatchers began telling callers that they were aware of the collision and advising them that emergency rescue crews and police were either already arriving or on their way to the scene. Several dispatchers told callers not to approach the crashed aircraft and to keep others from the scene until rescue crews could arrive.

One caller, who saw the collision from the McDonald's at East Patrick Street and Key Avenue, was able to accurately identify both aircraft models and even began explaining how the parachute that deployed was likely from the airplane and not an ejected pilot.

“I think a Cirrus,” the man told a dispatcher after identifying the helicopter as an R44 and being asked about the plane. “Because it had a parachute, it was able to, its parachute deployed — which is a thing it has.”

“Is the aircraft on fire?” the dispatcher asked the man.

“Uh, no, I cannot tell because I can’t see smoke from either place from where I’m standing,” the man said as the siren of a rescue vehicle could be heard in the background. “Emergency guys are coming now.”

All three men who were in the helicopter at the time of the collision, including two experienced pilots, were killed. The helicopter was being leased by Advanced Helicopter Concepts and an AHC instructor, Christopher D. Parsons, 29, was one of the men killed, according to a company spokesman.

Also killed were Colorado resident William Jenkins, 47, and Breandan J. MacFawn, 35, of Cumberland. Chris Hollingshead, an AHC spokesman, said Jenkins was training to rent the helicopter, while MacFawn was riding in the helicopter as a passenger.

At one point after the crash, a 911 call came from a man who said he was inside and did not witness the collision, but a man who had seen everything ran inside and told him about it.

“Somebody just came in and told me about it.... All’s they said was they saw the guy jump out, too. With a parachute,” the man told the dispatcher.

One of the last calls came from a man who identified himself as one of the earlier callers. He told dispatchers that he had gotten closer to the treeline off Monocacy Boulevard where the plane crashed and spotted one of the occupants trapped in a tree.

“I see where the pilot is, he’s in the tree, he’s all right, but he’s hanging in the tree,” the man said in the recording.

“OK, and do you know where is the tree located that the pilot is in?” the dispatcher asked.

“It’s uh, actually, there’s an ambulance,” the man said. “They should be about, just pulled in the field, they’re about 50 feet in front of him.”

Both occupants of the airplane, later identified as the pilot, Scott V. Graeves, 55, of Brookeville, and Gilbert L. Porter, 75, of Sandy Spring, were taken to Meritus Medical Center and released after receiving treatment for minor injuries, according to Maryland State Police and the NTSB.

Officials have not yet clarified who was piloting the helicopter at the time of the collision or what exactly happened leading up to the collision, but Rayner said he was not aware of any distress calls from either craft.

Rayner completed his preliminary report earlier this week, he said, and submitted it to his supervisors for review, adding that he was hopeful that report would be available to the public by today.

Story and Comments:  http://www.fredericknewspost.com


http://www.fredericknewspost.com/frederick tower call audio

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/all calls from the collision audio

FREDERICK, Md. - After a week-long voluntary suspension, Advanced Helicopter Concepts was back in the air on Thursday. 

"We're starting with a limited flight schedule with some of our students," said Neal Lanning, AHC president. "We all agree that we owe it to the people that are still here to pick up and keep rolling."

Last week on Thursday, a fatal mid-air collision took the lives of three aviation enthusiasts, including AHC helicopter instructor Chris Parsons. Staff at the flight school say that since the collision, they have talked to grieving counselors and consoled the families of the victims. After careful consideration, they believe that opening their doors is the best way to honor the lives lost.

"One of the things [Parson's] mother said to me at the last service was to make sure we keep flying. This is what Chris would want," Lanning said.

Business has remained steady following the collision, with no cancellations from customers, according to an AHC representative. Thursday morning, instructors and maintenance personnel were busy with helicopter upkeep in preparation of future flights. Instructors say before they go up in the air, there is a 30 minute long preliminary flight check, inspecting helicopter parts, electronic equipment and items in the cockpit.

"I'm checking temporary flight restrictions, weather reports from other pilots for any hazards in the area, coordinating and checking a lot of stuff before you even look at the helicopter," said Keith Thornton, chief flight instructor with AHC.

Officials at the flight school say they have provided the necessary documents and statements to the National Transportation Safety Board for their investigation.


- Source:  http://www.your4state.com
 
 
Photo by Bill Green
 Two members of the Civil Air Patrol stand watch Friday over the scene of the helicopter crash site at the Frederick Self Storage facility on Monroe Avenue.


Nine cadets and two senior members of the Frederick Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol gathered Tuesday, using their weekly meeting to recount their time patrolling the grounds of a two-aircraft collision Thursday.

“I’m grieving for the families,” said Dean Billigmeier, a senior member participating in the mission. “Five seconds they’re flying, and in five seconds they’re gone.”

Hours after police and media dispersed, members of the squadron were asked to guard the perimeter of the crash for 16 1⁄2 hours, Billigmeier said.

“What happened there was just horrible, and the family must be going through a hard time,” said cadet Jordan Brown at the National Guard Armory.

Three men onboard a helicopter died last Thursday after the aircraft collided with a small plane near Frederick Municipal Airport. The plane was inbound to the airport while the helicopter was involved in a training exercise when the collision occurred, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The helicopter broke into pieces upon striking the ground, killing its three occupants. The parachute attached to the plane deployed, sending the aircraft into a line of trees.

The plane’s pilot and passenger were taken to a hospital and released later that evening.

Mark Piersall, the second adult supervising the cadets, said the team began patrolling the area at about 9 p.m. They were assigned to guard the areas around the helicopter, the plane and the field in between to ensure no one tampered with the materials, since it was still considered under investigation, he said.

“A few people came over to take a look at the plane,” said Evan Spangler, a cadet, noting that there were no other major instances of people interfering with the crash site that night.

After staying up all night, the team then assisted with a search of the field, some cadets finding equipment from the aircraft, including pieces of the helicopter’s cockpit and the plane’s parachute container, Billigmeier said.

The cadets, Billigmeier and Piersall were released from the scene at about 1:30 p.m. the next day, but some cadets left early to attend school. However, Duncan Campbell said he left the site at about 10 a.m. to attend a scholarship reception in Leesburg, Virginia.

“I hopped in the car, changed, got McDonald’s and went to the (reception),” he said.

For several cadets, guarding the crash site was their first mission.

The Civil Air Patrol is an auxiliary volunteer organization for the U.S. Air Force with a cadet program open to youths ages 12 to 21. Cadets in the squadron are asked to serve in a variety of ways, including aiding law enforcement agencies with missing person searches and plane crashes.


- Source:  http://www.fredericknewspost.com



 
Christopher David "Chris" Parsons


Christopher Parsons 
Obituary 

Christopher David “Chris” Parsons, 29, of Westminster, died Thursday, October 23, 2014 in Frederick from injuries sustained in a helicopter accident.

Born July 25, 1985 in  South Carolina, he was the son of Nancy Jane Stull Parsons and Keith Parsons of Pelzer, SC.  He is survived by his wife and best friend ever Ashlee Parsons.

He worked as a helicopter flight instructor for Advanced Helicopter Concepts.  He was a graduate of the Community College of Baltimore County. 

He served in the Marines on three deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.  He was a Clemson Tigers and Baltimore Ravens fan and enjoyed astronomy.  He was the best husband ever.

In addition to his parents and wife, he is survived by a brother Brian Parsons of Pelzer, SC, mother-in-law and father-in-law Tina and Tom Grimes of Taneytown, sister-in-law and brother-in-law Rachel and Garrett Wise of York, PA and brother-in-law Jordan Grimes of Taneytown.

The family will receive friends on Monday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Fletcher Funeral & Cremation Services, 254 E. Main St., Westminster.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the funeral home.  Interment with military honors will follow in Deer Park Cemetery. 

Memorial contributions may be offered to Ashlee Parsons, c/o New Windsor State Bank, 213 Main St, New Windsor, MD 21776.


- See more at:  http://www.fletcherfuneralhome.net




 
William Jenkins


William Jenkins, 47 of Morrison Colorado died Thursday, October 23, 2014, in Frederick, Maryland, as a result of a tragic accident. 

Born on July 7, 1967, he was the son of Linda Jenkins Armbrust.

William graduated Powhatan School, Boyce, VA, in 1981, and from The Hill School, Pottstown, PA, in 1985, then from The University of Arizona in 1989.  From 1991 until 1994, Will was a helicopter flight instructor in Hillsboro, OR, and a tour pilot in Skagway, Alaska, and was the President of Allegany Coal and Land Company in Frostburg, Maryland from 1994 until 2014.

He was a loving husband and father who greatly enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.  Will lived life to the fullest; he enjoyed adventure and travel.  He was an avid mountain biker, skier, and enjoyed piloting airplanes, helicopters, and hang gliders.

Will made a difference in his community and in the lives of those around him.

He was a member of the Maryland Coal Association, The Greater Cumberland Committee, The Foundation for Frostburg, Inc., The United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, and many others.  He touched many lives and will be greatly missed.

Will is survived by his loving wife, Noelle Alice Jenkins and his sons, William Samuel Jenkins and Thomas Jackson Jenkins of Morrison, Colorado.  Also surviving, is his devoted mother, Linda Jenkins Armbrust and her husband Wayne Armbrust of Boyce, Virginia; his cousin and great friend, W. Stephen Jenkins and wife Christine, LaVale, Maryland; cousin, Stephanie A. Miller and husband Harland, Hyndman, PA; and many more loving relatives and friends.



See more at:   http://www.durstfuneralhome.com




Breandan James MacFawn
 

CUMBERLAND — Breandan James MacFawn, 35, of Cumberland, died Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014, as a result of injuries sustained in a helicopter accident. Born Dec. 10, 1978, in Westminster, he was the son of Cheryl and Marc Held, Westminster, and Dr. Ian and Cathy MacFawn, Lavale.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Fred and Janey MacFawn, James Snyder and Philip Jenkins.

Breandan is survived by his wife, Tracey MacFawn; and their two sons, Gavin and Taj; and lovingly missed by his brothers, Hunter Held and Ian P. MacFawn; his sisters, Lauryn MacFawn and Madison Held, family and many friends.

He was a devoted dad, a beloved son and grandson and wonderful friend to all who knew him. He had a great love for the outdoors, was an avid sportsman and his sense of adventure took him to many special parts of the world.

A time to visit with Breandan’s family and friends will occur at the Cumberland Country Club on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2014, from 2 to 5 p.m.

A funeral service will be held privately by the family.

In lieu of flowers, the family is establishing a college fund for his sons. Contributions should be sent to National Financial Services, c/o John Smyth, 50 Baltimore Street, Cumberland, MD 21502.


- Source:   http://www.times-news.com
 

Chris Parsons





Tower communications (graphic audio, may be disturbing) 

 ***Editor's Note: Some listeners may find this recording disturbing due to its graphic content. Portions of this audio have been edited to remove silent lapses between transmissions.*** Audio from Frederick Municipal Airport's tower communications during the Oct. 23, 2014 midair collision near Frederick airport.  

http://www.fredericknewspost.com

Federal investigators were trying to determine Friday what caused a collision involving a helicopter and a plane that killed three people Thursday afternoon in Frederick County.  

 National Transportation Safety Board officials spent the day sifting through the wreckage at the crash site near Frederick Municipal Airport and interviewing survivors and air traffic controllers.

The crash involved a helicopter owned by Advanced Helicopter Concepts, a Frederick company that routinely trains pilots at the airport. The helicopter was on a training exercise when it and a private plane collided in midair about 3:40 p.m. Thursday.

NTSB investigator Brian Rayner said Friday that he did not know of any mechanical problem affecting either aircraft at the time of the collision.

The three people who died were identified as William Jenkins, 47, of Morrison, Colo.; Breandan J. MacFawn, 35, of Cumberland, Md.; and Christopher D. Parsons, 29, of Westminster, Md. All three were on board the helicopter, according to investigators and an Advanced employee.

Families of the victims declined to discuss the collision or could not be reached for comment Friday.

Parsons was a flight instructor employed by Advanced, according to Chris Hollingshead, a pilot for the company. Hollingshead said Parsons was taking Jenkins on a test flight when the crash occurred. Jenkins had rented other aircraft from Advanced, he said, but had never piloted one of Advanced’s Robinson R44 helicopters.

The company requires pilots to take about a half-hour test flight with an instructor on a prescribed course around the airport before renting a new type of aircraft, Hollingshead said. Jenkins probably would have been at the controls, under Parsons’s supervision, at the time of the collision, he said.

Hollingshead said MacFawn was a passenger and was not employed by Advanced.

Two Maryland men suffered minor injuries in the crash and were treated at Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown and released Thursday evening, Maryland State Police said in a statement. Both men — Gilbert Porter, 75, of Sandy Spring and Scott V. Graeves, 55, of Brookeville — had been in the plane, said police spokesman Greg Shipley.

Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Laura Brown said the plane was a 2006 Cirrus SR22, a four-seater equipped with a parachute that can be deployed for landing in an emergency.

Records indicate that the plane, which is registered in Olney, Md., was flying to the Frederick airport from Cleveland, Tenn. Three helicopters were in the air as the plane approached.

Porter said late Thursday that he and Graeves had clearance to land and were in their pattern to descend when they suddenly felt the collision. In a matter of seconds, both Porter and the pilot knew they were going to crash.

“We were heading toward the ground at 60 miles per hour. I mean, it was scary as hell,” Porter said in a telephone interview.

After the aircraft collided, Graeves deployed the parachute, which slowed the plane until it careened into a small tree, breaking the plane’s momentum.

“I’m very lucky to be alive,” Porter said.

Hollingshead, serving as a spokesman for Advanced, said the company has voluntarily suspended all operations during the NTSB investigation. He said that Advanced’s 10 aircraft normally make 30 to 40 flights per day and that having two or three helicopters in the air while planes are also using the airport is standard.

Hollingshead said the helicopter was at altitude, neither taking off nor landing. Rayner said that the positions and altitudes of the two aircraft remained unclear as investigators gathered data Friday.

A Robinson R44, also owned and operated by Advanced, was involved in a crash in Western Maryland in 2009 that killed four people.

Story, Comments and Video: http://www.washingtonpost.com


The flight instructor in the helicopter that killed three and injured two after colliding in midair with a small plane Thursday afternoon at Frederick Municipal Airport received his instructor certificate last month, according to Federal Aviation Administration records.

Chris Parsons, 29, of Westminster, was employed by Advanced Helicopter Concepts, which owns the rotorcraft involved in the crash, company spokesman Chris Hollingshead said Friday. Parsons was licensed as a commercial pilot in April 2012.

Will Jenkins, 47, of Morrison, Colorado, earned his commercial pilot license in 2006 and was licensed as a flight instructor in April 2013, according to the FAA. The Frostburg native was training to rent helicopters on his own, Hollingshead said. Jenkins also died in the crash along with Breandan J. MacFawn, 35, of Cumberland.

Investigators have said it is unclear who was flying the rotorcraft.

Advanced Helicopter Concepts was founded in 1988 and is owned by Neal Lanning, according to Maryland tax documents.

Five R22B helicopters are listed under the company’s name, according to the FAA registry. The R44 that crashed was leased to the company, The Associated Press reported.

FAA records show that the flight school’s chief instructor earned his teaching certificate in March 2013, while another teacher received his flight instructor certificate in March.

Lanning also started the Advanced Helicopter Youth Foundation, a nonprofit that visited Maryland prison inmates and supported a now-defunct youth residential treatment center in Tennessee, according to federal tax documents. It reported about $3,100 in total assets in 2012.

The flight school has recorded fatal crashes and other incidents in its aircraft before, according to FAA and NTSB reports:

In 1995, an R22B crashed during takeoff at Frederick’s airport when its landing gear hooked onto a dolly and rolled over, taking substantial damage. Its sole occupant, a licensed private pilot, was not hurt.

In 2002, an R22B was severely damaged when a student pilot was preparing for his private pilot exam. The helicopter suddenly dropped while simulating an engine failure during takeoff, which the student said he had never tried before. The craft’s rotor chopped off its tail as the helicopter touched down. An instructor suffered minor injuries; the student was unharmed.

In July 2009, three Advanced Helicopter Concepts employees and a Frederick County woman were killed in a crash after hitting wires over I-70 near Boonsboro.

In May, an R22 tipped onto its side while an instructor and student were attempting a hovering maneuver and lost balance upon contacting the ground. They declined medical treatment. The helicopter was heavily damaged and its rotor blades were twisted.

About 90 helicopter accidents were recorded in Maryland by the NTSB since 1964. Sixteen of those resulted in fatalities.

The NTSB logged more than 120 helicopter accidents and incidents nationwide in the past year.

- Source:  http://www.fredericknewspost.com


 
Officials say Scott Graeves, 55, of Brookeville, was piloting the Cirrus SR22  that crashed.



Brian Rayner, senior air safety investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, answers questions during a press conference Friday afternoon near the sight of the downed plane with is in the trees behind him.


Brian Rayner, senior air safety investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, answers questions during a press conference Friday afternoon near the sight of the downed plane with is in the trees behind him. 

 Brian Rayner
Senior air safety investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board










Mayor Randy McClement, left, arrives at the scene of a mid-air collision between an airplane and a helicopter near the Frederick Municipal Airport Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014, in Frederick, Md.


Uniformed personnel walk through a field between the two crash sites near Frederick Municipal Airport Friday morning in Frederick.



A Frederick, Md., police officer walks in a field where a mid-air collision between an airplane and a helicopter occurred near the Frederick Municipal Airport, Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014, in Frederick, Md. 

 

 


  


 


 






























































 





The Cirrus SR22 rests in a tree in a wood line off Monocacy Boulevard following a midair collision with a helicopter Thursday afternoon.











































An investigator photographs debris from the downed Robinson R-44 inside the Frederick Self Storage facility off Monroe Avenue Friday morning. Most of the wreckage landed between two buildings on the site.

The helicopter involved in Thursday's midair collision crashed between two rows of storage units at Frederick Self Storage off Monroe Avenue Thursday in Frederick.