Friday, February 28, 2014

Deadhorse Airport (PASC), Alaska

ADA-72201 Proposal to Lease State Airport Land at Deadhorse Airport

The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities proposes to lease Lot 7B, Block 200, consisting of approximately 37,500 square feet (ADA-72201), at Deadhorse Airport for 30 years, to expire May 1, 2044.  Applicant:  True North Constructors, Inc.  Authorized uses:  non-aviation – Parking and storage of construction equipment; construction of shop for heavy equipment and oil & gas repair and storage; construction of commercial camp facility; installation of two – 1,000 gallon fuel tanks; installation of one 20-ft tall yard light pole.  Annual rent:  $6,337.50.

Read more here:  http://aws.state.ak.us

Swansea man builds plane in tribute to father, grandfather

 

SWANSEA, Ill. - Hobbies come in all forms: golf, photography, or cooking. For an Illinois man, it's building an airplane. And the word "hobby" doesn't quite do it justice. 

Tom Braun Jr. has spent anywhere from 15 to 20 years of painstaking work assembling a Steen Skybolt biplane. It's the same plane Tom's grandfather—a World War II pilot—built, and the same plane both Tom and his father (Tom Sr.) were riding in when it crashed in 1985.

Tom was seriously injured but would eventually recover; the crash claimed his father's life.

If you're wondering why it's taking Tom Braun so long, he works on the biplane in his spare time. And he's not using a kit. He's building the entire airplane, piece by piece.

Story and video:   http://www.ksdk.com

Indian Ambassador Hopes FAA Restores Top Air-Safety Rating: WSJ

The Wall Street Journal
By Doug Cameron


Feb. 28, 2014 5:58 p.m. ET

CHICAGO—India is hopeful U.S. regulators will reinstate its top-tier aviation safety rating this year following a downgrade that placed restrictions on its fast-growing airlines, the country's new ambassador to the U.S. said Friday.

Ambassador S. Jaishankar also said work is continuing on a new security agreement that could allow Indian companies to jointly produce military equipment with U.S. partners. The U.S. last year overtook Russia as India's largest source of arms imports by value.

The Federal Aviation Administration in January downgraded India's aviation-safety ranking, citing inadequate oversight by local regulators. Though other countries have taken several years to regain the coveted Category 1 status, Mr. Jaishankar said India's return could be swifter.

"I'd hope so," he said, when asked if the FAA could upgrade India from its new Category 2 status this year. Speaking after an event in Chicago, Mr. Jaishankar acknowledged it was difficult to determine a timetable as discussions continue between regulators from the two countries. The FAA didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mr. Jaishankar said in his speech that the FAA downgrade was among a list of issues that had "bogged down" U.S.-India relations in recent months, citing also a ban on some pharmaceutical imports and the recent complaint filed by the U.S. against India with the World Trade Organization over solar-power equipment.

"Such headlines are not representative of the totality of our ties," he said, citing military equipment and future gas exports from the U.S. as two examples of evolving economic ties.

India is the world's largest arms importer, rebuilding the many antiquated parts of its military in response to long-standing tensions with Pakistan and to China's military expansion.

U.S. defense exports to India have climbed eightfold since 2009 and reached $1.9 billion last year, according to IHS Jane's, an industry consultant, and the countries signed a joint declaration on defense cooperation in September.

Boeing Co. has driven the expansion with sales of helicopters and surveillance jets, followed by Lockheed Martin Corp, which has found a ready market for its military transport aircraft.

The widening defense trade balance has seen Indian and U.S. officials open talks for the co-production or co-development of weapons systems, though no deal has been reached.

Mr. Jaishankar said talks continued about "more effective" technology transfer and on potential cooperation in developing the next generation of the Javelin antitank missile, which is currently produced by a joint venture between Lockheed and Raytheon Co.


Source:  http://online.wsj.com

Key West Seaplanes® Miami to Key West Flights- New Custom Options Announced

Key West, FL (PRWEB) February 28, 2014 

Key West Seaplanes® Miami to Key West Flights now feature even more custom options. Key West Seaplanes® continues their custom approach to its exclusive charters with addition of extended sightseeing options on all flights.

Key West Seaplanes® pilot Julie Ann Floyd excitedly shares, "Due to the overwhelming positive reactions that we have been having from our passengers in regard to how beautiful the sightseeing is on all of our flights, we are now offering the option to extend any flight at the time the charter is booked." Floyd adds, "Though we do include low-level aerial sightseeing on all flights for no additional charge we have repeatedly seen that passengers love being in the air so much that they wish to just keep flying!"

The premier seaplane company, Key West Seaplanes® was formed in 2009 and has been flying Miami to Key West via seaplane charter (and also airplane charter) for a number of years. The company offers passengers the greatest flexibility in their departure points in and around the Miami area.

Pilot Floyd shares, "Our seaplanes come to you. So, if you are arriving via a large commercial carrier into Miami International (MIA), then your seaplane meets you right at Miami International. If you are flying into Opa Locka (OPF) via private jet then your seaplane meets you jet-side. And, if you live near Tamiami (TMB) and want the most convenience then your seaplane meets you at Tamiami. There are many other land-based options as well. Our seaplanes are amphibious so we land on water and also on land". Floyd continues to say, "Of course, there are many water-based departure options as well that include Watson Island Seaplane Base near Miami's South Beach, Fisher Island and if you live on the water elsewhere then chances are we will be able to pick you up at your private dock or beach."

Key West Seaplanes® also services all the Florida mainland, all The Bahamas and Caribbean as well as all The Florida Keys. Floyd informs readers, "We also commonly fly our seaplanes on routes such as seaplanes from Fort Lauderdale to Key West, Boca Raton to Key West and Naples to Key West. Other great options are flying in our seaplanes Miami to Bimini and other islands of The Bahamas and Caribbean."

Key West Seaplanes® routinely appears in publications such as Florida Travel and Life, FLYING Magazine, Water Flying Magazine and Departures Magazine which is the exclusive publication for American Express' Platinum members. Key West Seaplanes® rescue also recently made the national news waves after they rescued a pilot who made a forced water landing in an airplane that was equipped only with wheels when his engine failed. This event led to the company receiving accolades from the FAA, Coast Guard and Air Traffic Control. Key West Seaplanes to Islamorada was also featured on the Travel Channel's Key West/Seaplane Trip Flip Ocean Adventures episode this past year. The company also flew celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito via seaplane to Little Palm Island's SoBeWFF dinner event just last week. Key West Seaplanes® was also a sponsor of the event.

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com

Private planes burn up runway between Palm Beach International and Teterboro

WEST PALM BEACH — Odds are, if you’re on a private plane traveling this time of year, it’s flying between Palm Beach International Airport and Teterboro Airport in New Jersey just outside of New York. 

During January, the two airports were the busiest in the United States for private plane travel. 

Story and video: http://www.palmbeachpost.com

Relatives remember Tahoe’s worst plane crash 50 years later

On the morning of March 1, 1964, a few hours before 85 people were killed in Lake Tahoe’s worst plane crash, the crew of Paradise Airlines Flight 901A was in Oakland, Calif., preparing for their ill-fated flight. 

The Oakland company dispatcher checked weather charts and forecasts, of which one — from the U.S. Weather Bureau — showed poor flying conditions at Lake Tahoe, according to an aircraft accident report from the now-defunct Civil Aeronautics Board.

Despite this, the dispatcher forecast more favorable weather based on his own assessments of the data. It would be reported later that at the time of the crash, the plane was flying in a blinding snowstorm.

“I remember looking out the window at the time …” said Bill Kingman, who lived in South Lake Tahoe in 1964 as a radio disc jockey, “and there was zero visibility. And I remember thinking no one can fly in this.”

March 1 marks the 50th anniversary of the Paradise Airlines Flight 901A crash, the largest plane crash in Tahoe’s history by a broad margin, according to history buffs in the region.

To certain descendants of the victims, today is a time of reflection. To others, the date brings up memories of a tragic accident that now only consists of debris still found at the crash site, about one mile south of Genoa Peak.

The plan on March 1, 1964, was for the aircraft to take off from Oakland and make two stops — one in Salinas, Calif., and one in San Jose, Calif. — before arriving at Lake Tahoe Airport shortly before noon.

At 8:43 a.m., the plane departed Oakland. It had 81 passengers on board and a crew of four by the time it was headed toward Lake Tahoe.

At 10:57 a.m., it made radio communication with an outbound Paradise Airlines flight from the basin. The captain advised Flight 901A of “icing at 12,000 (feet)” and snow showers, according to the accident report.

At 11:27 a.m., the plane made contact with an Paradise Airlines passenger agent at Tahoe Valley Airport, which relayed the weather in the area: 2,000 feet overcast with three miles of visibility.

The last known transmission came through two minutes later, when the passenger agent heard a radio call, but he wasn’t able to establish a connection.

With communications cut off, the aircraft wasn’t found until the next morning.

A ‘gruesome’ scene

A captain from Stead Air Force Base spotted the plane wreckage March 2, 1964, at 7:36 a.m., according to Tahoe Daily Tribune articles from that time.

There were no survivors.

Snow-covered bodies and parts of the airplane, which were strewn around parts of the 8,800-foot ridge between the Lake Tahoe Basin and the Carson Valley — about three miles north of Kingsbury Grade.

A headline in a 1964 Tahoe Daily Tribune newspaper called the crash site “gruesome,” and the accompanying article described the eyewitness reports of George Costa, who was the first to arrive at the scene with an unidentified companion.

“When he saw a hand sticking out of the snow he got sick and turned back,” Costa had told the Tribune.

The location of the crash was so remote that personnel assisting with it were flown to the site by helicopter or driven in by snow cats. The El Dorado County Sheriff at the time, Ernie Carlson, estimated it would take two or three days before the bodies could all be brought out.

A partial list of the aircraft victims was listed in the Tribune, and an investigation began into the cause of the accident.

It was eventually determined that the plane had crashed after clipping the top of a ridge.

One pilot involved in the search told the Tribune that if Flight 901A was 100 feet higher “he would have made it.”

Later, the Civil Aeronautics Board determined that the probable cause of the accident was the pilot’s deviation from prescribed flight procedures while attempting a visual landing in unfavorable weather.

The decision had led to “geographical disorientation” and an abandoned landing attempt, according to the accident report.

Maintenance records for the Lockheed Constellation also revealed multiple reports of malfunctions in the fluxgate compass system and discrepancies reported in both altimeters prior to the day of the crash.

Maintenance was performed on those instruments the night before the incident, but according to the accident report, the possibility of mechanical error still existed at the time of the crash.

Remembering their families


It has been 50 years since the Flight 901A plane crash took the lives of Tim Lampe’s parents.

The Lake Tahoe resident was 5 years old when his brothers and sisters heard about the accident from reports on TV. It’s one of his few things he can remember from that time in his life.

“That I carry with me ‘til today,” he said Monday.

Lampe thinks about his parents frequently, and even more so around the 50th anniversary of the crash, he said.

He’s been thinking about taking another trip up to the site soon, as he sometimes does to feel closer to his parents.

“I go up there and say hi to my mom and dad,” he said. “It’s like ground zero, you know?”

One time, Lampe found a worn-down makeup case among the bits of debris still strewn around the site. He knew it didn’t belong to his mom, but findings like those help him remember the people that lost their lives on this day, 50 years ago.

“At that moment I lost it,” he said of the finding, “because it just personalized it for me.”

Lampe brings family members of other crash victims to the site every now and then to give them a chance to find closure, too, he said.

Last summer, Stockton resident Carrie Hake made the hike up with her brother, Jim Capitola. She saw rusty metal frames to which plane seats were once attached, along with other rubble from wreckage.

The trip was too much of a shock to bring her the closure she sought, Hake said. But she would like to make another trip soon.

“It didn’t bring closure,” she said. “In a way it kind of opened the wound a little bit, but it’s something my brother and I needed to do.”

Hake wrote a poem for her parents for the 50th anniversary of the plane crash, she said. She’s always felt something missing since they died, but more so as a parent and adult.

“So many times I wished for the day when my kids could know their grandparents,” Hake said. “It was a hard thing.”


Story and photo:   http://www.tahoedailytribune.com

NTSB Identification: Unknown
14 CFR Part 91 General Aviation
Aircraft: LOCKHEED L-049, registration: N86504
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2-1008   64/3/1  NR.ZEPHYR COVE NEV    LOCKHEED L-049      CR-  4  0  0  COMMERCIAL                ATP,FLIGHT INSTR., AGE
        TIME - 1129                    N86504              PX- 81  0  0  CTR PASSG-D               45, 15391 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            3266 IN TYPE, INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: CONTROLLED                  LANDING: MISSED APPROACH
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - BECAME LOST/DISORIENTED
           PILOT IN COMMAND - FAILED TO FOLLOW APPROVED PROCEDURES,DIRECTIVES,ETC.
        FACTOR(S)
           PERSONNEL - DISPATCHING (AIR CARRIER ONLY): DISPATCHED AIRCRAFT IMPROPERLY EQUIPPED FOR FLIGHT
           PERSONNEL - DISPATCHING (AIR CARRIER ONLY): FAILURE TO KEEP FLIGHT PROPERLY ADVISED
         FIRE AFTER IMPACT
        REMARKS- DISPATCHER DID NOT FURNISH CREW WX INFO PROMPTLY HE DID DISPATCH AND FLT FOLLOW TRIP PROPERLY

“Miss Pauline”: Work progresses on museum's WW II aircraft

Working on “Miss Pauline” is like working on a giant puzzle with thousands of pieces in two different locations.

“Miss Pauline” is an AT-6 that is being built from an assortment of parts, nuts and bolts.

Sam Dodson, who joined the project in January, fabricated a dolly that is going to take a section of the plane mounted with wheels from a hangar at Terrell Municipal Airport to the No. 1 British Flying Training School on Saturday.

Dodson, who is an airframe and power plant mechanic with Southwest Airlines, along with many other people, is helping rebuild a part of Terrell’s and the No. 1 British Flying Training School Museum’s history.

The plane has been named “Miss Pauline” in honor of Pauline Bond Baxter who was an instructor at the flying school during WW II.

The AT-6 is being stripped, cleaned, refinished part-by-part, section-by-section from several planes.

The goal is simple: put together an AT-6 similar to what was used to train cadets from The Royal Air Force, Canada and the United States during World War II and use it as the main display at the No. 1 British Flying Training School Museum on Silent Wings Boulevard.

Dodson said the main landing gear has been installed on the center wing section.

“In the meantime, we still need to finish stripping paint and prepare the top skin of the CWS for primer application this week .... before fuselage attachment,” he said in an email on Monday. “If anyone is available to help during the week for this critical task, please let me know.”

Jim Evans, a BFTS board member and the “Miss Pauline” project manager, said he will need all hands on deck Saturday to help mount the wing center section to the fuselage.

“Sam has designed and constructed a dolly which will wheel the wing from the hanger to the museum where we will lift up the fuselage to accommodate the assembly,” Evans said. “This is a major step in our restoration …. You will be a part of important local history in action.”

Cliff Taylor, who is chairman and treasurer of the No. 1 BFTS Museum, said the project still could use about 10 more volunteers, especially people with good mechanic skills.

“We believe we will have a pretty complete plane by Sept. 20, but it will be fully complete by the end of the year,” Taylor said.

Once the plane is completed, the next challenge will be where to put it on display.

Taylor said they will have to make space in the back of the museum, at least initially, to display it.

A committee, he said, is working on where to build a new museum that would accommodate it.

As of late January, Taylor said $38,000 had been spent on the “Miss Pauline” project and there was $9,500 in the bank. He estimates another $3,000 to $5,000 is needed.

People interested in volunteering their skills and time should contact Taylor at 972-551-1333.

To make donation, send a check to No. 1 BFTS, Box 6, Silent Wings Boulevard, Terrell, Texas 75160.


Story and photo:  http://www.terrelltribune.com

Robinson R44 Raven, II N571AC, Tallahassee Helicopters: Accident occurred February 08, 2014 in Panacea, Florida

NTSB Identification: ERA14FA115 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, February 08, 2014 in Panacea, FL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 09/29/2015
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II, registration: N571AC
Injuries: 2 Fatal, 1 Serious.

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 pilot and two passengers departed on a local flight to a nearby airport. They arrived near sunset, dined at a local restaurant, and returned about 1 hour later. Multiple witnesses reported that the area where the helicopter was parked was dark on the night of the accident; the airport manager stated that the runway lights did not illuminate the trees at the end of the runway. After a preflight inspection, the pilot started the helicopter and announced his position and intentions over the common traffic advisory frequency. A passenger reported that she heard the pilot say, “here we go.” The helicopter then impacted the tops of 50-ft-tall trees about 350 ft from the departure location. Examination of the airframe and wreckage revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. 

The pilot had accumulated 1 hour of night flight experience in the 11 months before the accident flight. Given the dark night conditions at the time of departure and his lack of recent night flight experience, it is likely that the pilot was unaware of the trees and did not successfully navigate above the trees and away from the airport.

Review of the pilot’s medical records and toxicology report revealed that he had been taking a disqualifying medication (pramipexole) since 2006. He reported the use of the medication during his aviation medical exam in 2012, and, although the medication should have been disqualifying, the aviation medical examiner issued the pilot a medical certificate. While symptoms of the disqualifying medication included “falling asleep while engaged in activities of daily living, including operation of motor vehicles,” witnesses reported no abnormalities in the pilot’s sleep patterns or behavior, including on the day of the flight. Based on witness statements and the pilot’s long history of using this medication, it is likely that he was not affected by the medication’s published symptoms during the flight. 

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from trees during a takeoff at night. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of recent night flight experience. 

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On February 8, 2014, about 1945 eastern standard time, a Robinson R44 II, N571AC, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees after takeoff from Wakulla County Airport (2J0), Panacea, Florida. The private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured, and another passenger sustained serious injuries. The helicopter was registered to Capital Helicopters, LLC, and was operated by a flight school. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which was destined for Tallahassee Regional Airport (TLH), Tallahassee, Florida. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to the surviving passenger, the pilot planned to fly three passengers to 2J0 for dinner and return directly to TLH, which was a common flight for the pilot. On the day of the accident, the fourth occupant became ill and elected to stay home. The pilot and two passengers departed TLH about 1720 bound for 2J0. They flew a scenic route along the waterfront and landed at the north end of the airport. The pilot and his passengers finished dinner about 1935 and were then driven to the airport, which was located about 1 mile north of the restaurant. After a preflight inspection, the pilot started the helicopter and announced his position and intentions over the common traffic advisory frequency. The surviving passenger heard the pilot say, "here we go" and seconds later they impacted trees and came to rest inverted in shallow water.

Two witnesses observed the helicopter prior to the accident. One of the witnesses recalled seeing the helicopter parked at the end of runway 36 earlier that day with the tail facing north. 

Witnesses who lived in the vicinity of the accident site were interviewed separately shortly after the accident and were asked to describe the weather and lighting conditions that prevailed at the time. The witnesses consistently described the lighting conditions as "dark" or "very" dark and overcast. The surviving passenger recalled a "thin misty fog" that was present at the time of the accident. A witness who lived about 1 mile south of the accident site described the weather conditions at the time of the accident as a dark night, overcast, with no fog. He also stated that the accident site was very dark and added there were no lights from the sky, airport or street that reached the accident site. 

According to the surviving passenger, the pilot had requested that she sit in the left rear seat to "even out the weight and balance." A few seconds after takeoff, the passenger observed trees ahead of the helicopter and called out to the pilot prior to impact.

The surviving passenger also remarked that the pilot was "probably trying to fly the fastest route home" as he was intent on returning home to spend time with his daughter and had been gone longer than planned. 

An employee at the restaurant where the pilot and two passengers had dinner, reported that the group arrived about 1815. According to a receipt, none of the three patrons consumed alcoholic beverages. The customers paid their bill promptly and then exited the restaurant. The restaurant owner drove the customers to the airport.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 49, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for rotorcraft-helicopter. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) second-class medical certificate was issued on April 5, 2012 with the limitation, "must wear corrective lenses for near and distant vision." The pilot did not possess an instrument rating. 

The pilot obtained most of his flight training for his private pilot certificate through Tallahassee Helicopters. After he received his private pilot certificate in 2012, he continued to rent helicopters from the flight school.

According to the pilot's logbook, as of February 1, 2014 the pilot had accumulated 334.8 total hours of flight experience, 309 hours of which were in helicopters. The pilot recorded at least 189.2 hours of flight experience in the accident helicopter make and model. He had also accumulated 22.6 total hours of night flight experience and only one hour of night flight experience in the preceding 11 months. 

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The accident helicopter was based at TLH and operated by Tallahassee Helicopters. According to FAA records, the accident helicopter was manufactured in 2005. The helicopter was powered by a Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 245 hp engine and driven by a two-blade main rotor system. The helicopter's most recent 100-hour inspection was completed on November 15, 2013; at the time it had accumulated 946.4 hours total time in service (TTIS). At the time of the accident the helicopter had accumulated 997.3 TTIS.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

A review of airports within a 50 nautical miles radius of the airport showed similar meteorological conditions. 

The following weather observations were recorded at TLH, which was located about 24 nautical miles from the accident site, at an elevation of 83 feet msl:

At 0053, calm wind; visibility 10 statute miles; clear skies; temperature 11 degrees C, dew point 8 degrees C; altimeter 30.15 inches of mercury.

A representative of the National Weather Service (NWS) based in Tallahasee, Florida stated there were no weather reporting facilities closer than 24 nautical miles from the accident site that captured visibility and cloud ceilings at the time of the accident. 

According to the U.S. Naval Observatory, on the date of the accident, sunset occurred at 1820 and civil twilight ended at 1845. The moon rise was recorded at 1320, and was observed in transit at 2019 and set at 0320 on the following day. About 68% of the moon disc was illuminated at the time of the accident.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

The departure airport was located about 350 feet east of the accident site. The airport comprised of one turf runway, which measured 2,590 feet long and 70 feet wide and was equipped with low intensity runway edge lights. There was a clear area at the north end of the airport, where the helicopter had departed from. According to the manager, the runway lights did not illuminate the trees that bordered the west side of the runway. A rural neighborhood surrounded the airport to the east and west. There was also a highway adjacent to the northern tip of the airport that ran northwest.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The accident site was located in a marsh area bordered by trees about 350 feet from the helicopter's departure point. The initial impact point was identified by several damaged tree limbs about 50 feet above the ground, which were about 25 feet from the helicopter's final resting location. The wreckage path was oriented about 340 degrees magnetic and extended from the initial impact point to where the main wreckage came to rest. The main wreckage was inverted in water and oriented on a northerly heading. The middle wire of a three strand power line, also located in the wreckage path, was severed during the accident and repaired before NTSB investigators arrived on scene. There were no indications of pre or postimpact fire.

The wreckage was subsequently recovered from the accident scene and examined at a nearby law enforcement facility.

The tailboom remained attached to the fuselage and was severed about three feet from the tail rotor section. The severed tail section consisted of the tailboom structure, horizontal stabilizer, the upper and lower vertical stabilizers, and the tail rotor. The forward 10-foot section of the tailboom was canted to the left. There was no visible damage to both tail rotor blades, which also remained attached to the tail rotor gearbox. The horizontal and upper vertical stabilizers were intact, and the lower vertical stabilizer exhibited some compression damage. 

The main rotor mast was impact separated from the helicopter and co-located with the main wreckage. For reference purposes, the two main rotor blades were arbitrarily designated "A" and "B". Blade "A" was bent about 45 degrees downward and segmented into thirds with most of the blade spar still intact and attached to the main rotor hub. The remaining 10 inches of "Blade A" blade spar were not recovered. The middle third section of the blade was partially separated and the remaining outboard third of the blade was fracture-separated parallel to the blade chord. Blade "B" was bent down about 30 degrees and remained intact to the blade tip. The skin and honeycomb section of the remaining 2 feet of blade had separated. Both blades exhibited compression and impact damage. 

The drive belts were broken, but exhibited no signs of rolling. Both the upper and lower actuator bearings rotated freely and the sprag clutch locked and free-wheeled normally. The main rotor gearbox was detached from the airframe, broken into several pieces, and rotated freely. 

The engine starter ring gear exhibited linear scoring that was parallel in direction to the gear's rotation. The aft surface of the upper sheave displayed circular scoring and the upper drive belt sheave exhibited multiple scores across its grooves that were consistent with machining marks.

Examination of the flight control system revealed separations consistent with overload on multiple push-pull tubes. There were additional separations within the cyclic stick assembly, cyclic torque tube, and the Blade "B" pitch change link. Control continuity for the cyclic, collective, and anti-torque systems was established and all separations were consistent with overload fractures. All separations in the tail rotor driveshaft were consistent with bending overload. Main and tail rotor gearbox continuity was confirmed. 

Both fuel bladder tanks were separated from the main wreckage. The fuel caps remained attached to their respective fuel tanks. The fuel lines were torn at the line outlets, but intact from the tear to the engine. Fuel line continuity was confirmed through the vent lines in the mast fairing, vent fittings on both tanks, interconnect hose, vent hoses and main tank rollover valve. 

The engine remained mounted within the engine compartment. The crankshaft was rotated by hand and valve-train continuity and thumb compression were observed on all cylinders. Both magnetos remained attached to the engine and produced spark at their respective spark plug ends when tested by hand rotation of the engine. 

All spark plugs were removed and inspected with the exception of cylinder No. 6 top spark plug, which could not be removed due to airframe damage. Each spark plug electrode was intact and displayed "normal" combustion signatures when compared with a spark plug wear chart, with the exception of cylinder No. 5 top spark plug, which was oil fouled. A borescope examination of all cylinders did not reveal any abnormalities. 

Examination of the airframe, engine, and drive systems did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions. 

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy was performed on the pilot by the District Two Office of the Medical Examiner, Tallahassee, Florida. The cause of death was listed as "multiple blunt force trauma." 

The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological testing on the pilot. No carbon monoxide or ethanol were detected in the samples submitted. The testing detected the presence of Citalopram and n-desmethylcitalopram in the blood in quantities of 0.398 ug/mL and 0.533 ug/mL, respectively. Citalopram, marketed under the trade name Celexa, is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant and desmethylcitalopram is the metabolite. The testing also detected an unquantified amount of desmethylsildenafil, dextromethorphan, dextrorphan, and pramipexole in the blood and liver samples submitted. Dextrorphan is the metabolite of dextramoethorphan, a cough suppressant found in common over the counter medications. Unquantified amounts of Citalopram and n-desmethylcitalopram were also detected in the pilot's liver. 

Review of the pilot's personal medical history revealed that he had been taking pramipexole since 2006. Pramipexole, marketed under the trade name Mirapex, is a dopamine agonist used to treat Parkinsons disease and restless leg syndrome. Mirapex use is associated with serious risks including "falling asleep while engaged in activities of daily living, including operation of motor vehicles;" hypotension, hallucinations, and major behavioral changes. On April 5, 2012, the pilot reapplied for a second class medical certificate, at which time he reported Zocor, Trilipix, and Mirapex. Although Mirapex is a disqualifying drug, the pilot's Aviation Medical Examiner noted it as "previously reported" and subsequently issued him a second-class medical certificate.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

72-hour History

Follow-up interviews with both the pilot's daughter and the pilot's girlfriend were used to construct a 72-hour history. On the night of Thursday, February 6, 2014, the pilot drove home to Tallahassee, Florida, from Jacksonville, Florida after a work related meeting. The following day the pilot drove to his girlfriend's house about 1600 and subsequently returned home about 1830. He conversed with his daughter for about 30 minutes before going to dinner with his girlfriend. At 1530 on the day of the accident, the pilot and his girlfriend picked up the second passenger from his home and subsequently drove to the pilot's house to collect his airport badge before driving to the airport. The pilot's daughter and girlfriend observed no abnormalities in the pilot's behavior or sleep patterns during these three days. 

Night Flight

According to the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25A),

"While the cones adapt rapidly to changes in light intensities, the rods take much longer. Walking from bright sunlight into a dark movie theater is an example of this dark adaptation period experience. The rods can take approximately 30 minutes to fully adapt to darkness. A bright light, however, can completely destroy night adaptation, leaving night vision severely compromised while the adaptation process is repeated."

According to the Robinson Helicopter Company R-44 Helicopter Pilot's Operating Handbook (2-7 Limitations),

"Orientation during night flight must be maintained by visual reference to ground objects illuminated solely by lights on the ground or adequate celestial illumination." 

Airport Lighting Safety Advancement

The investigation revealed there were no lights to illuminate the trees that were struck by the helicopter during the accident. The Florida Department of Transportation installed a light at the northwestern end of the airport in March 2015 to illuminate the affected trees.


NTSB Identification: ERA14FA115 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, February 08, 201
4 in Panacea, FL
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II, registration: N571AC
Injuries: 2 Fatal,1 Serious.

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 February 8, 2014, about 1945 eastern standard time, a Robinson R-44 II, N571AC, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain after takeoff from Wakulla County Airport (2J0), Panacea, Florida. The private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured, and another passenger sustained serious injuries. The helicopter was registered to Capital Helicopters, LLC, and was operated by a private individual. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which was destined for Tallahassee Regional Airport (TLH), Tallahassee, Florida. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

The helicopter had landed at 2J0 earlier in the day with the pilot and two passengers onboard. After eating at a local restaurant the pilot and passengers were transported back to the airport, where they arrived at approximately 1930 for their return flight to TLH. According to the surviving passenger, the pilot stated they would have to "back up" the helicopter prior to takeoff. The helicopter then departed the airport and, moments later, the passenger called out the pilot's name as they impacted trees.

A witness at the airp ort reported seeing the helicopter parked "facing south" prior to its departure. He did not observe the helicopter take off, but after hearing a loud "snap," he drove to the end of his driveway, where he heard the passenger calling for help.

The wreckage was located in a marsh bordered by trees, about 353 feet northwest of the departure end of runway 36. The tree tops located next to the main wreckage exhibited impact markings approximately 50 feet above ground level. The main wreckage was oriented about 24 degrees magnetic, and came to rest inverted in several feet of water. The main rotor blades both exhibited coning in the negative direction, but remained attached to the main rotor mast with the exception of the trailing edge of one of the blades, which had been impact separated. The tailboom was separated from the fuselage and was co-located with the main wreckage.

  

http://registry.faa.gov/N571AC

N571AC ROBINSON R44 ROTORCRAFT STRUCK TREES AND POWERLINES AND CRASHED, THERE WERE 3 PERSONS ON BOARD, 2 WERE FATALLY INJURED, 1 SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES, WAKULLA COUNTY AIRPORT, PANACEA, FL  



Curtis Clifford, in green, with his wife Kim to the right, and his three children. / Photo provided by Clifford family 




The two men who died in a helicopter crash in Wakulla County a week ago have been laid to rest, but their families are remembering the two as warm, outgoing individuals, eager to give to anyone in need. 


Curtis Clifford, 53, and Terry B. Ooten, 49, both lived in Tallahassee for more than 25 years. Clifford moved to Tallahassee in 1986 and Ooten in 1969.

Clifford’s father, Ron Clifford, told the Democrat from his home in Hilton Head, S.C., his son, a salesman, had an unquenchable thirst for life and enjoyed meeting new people.

“He used to say he was here just to make people smile,” Ron Clifford said. “He just loved talking to people, helping people solve their problems. He loved selling things because he knew it was helping people do something better.”

Ooten’s obituary said the licensed helicopter pilot and president of Trademark Development and Construction went above and beyond in caring for his two children, taught cooking classes at Publix and enjoyed traveling and flying.

“He would be the life of the party, cooking food for anybody who wanted it,” the obituary said. “Terry was a kind-hearted, optimistic person who always had a positive outlook on life and a warm smile for everyone.”

Ron Clifford, who flew fixed-wing airplanes, said his son jumped at the chance to fly in the helicopter piloted by Ooten last week. Curtis Clifford’s wife Kim was offered a seat, but declined.

The helicopter was trying to take off from the Wakulla County Airport about 8 p.m. Feb. 8, when it collided with a tree limb and eventually landed on its roof, the Wakulla County Sheriff's Office said.

Ooten and Clifford were pronounced dead on scene, but passenger Sheri Devore, 46, also of Tallahassee, was taken to the hospital with unknown injuries. She remained at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare in fair condition as of Friday.

Investigators recovered the helicopter from a nearby swamp, according to National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Eric Weiss. The impact area of the crash was 30 yards wide. NTSB could not say Wednesday whether the tree limb played a role in the crash or was something the helicopter hit as it fell to the ground.

The investigation into the cause of the crash is likely to last more than a year, but the NTSB is expected to release its preliminary findings next week. The aircraft had been used by WTXL as a news helicopter. Weiss did not know when the helicopter was made.

Thomas Diefenbach, president of Tallahassee Helicopters — which owned the four-seat Robinson R-44 helicopter — said many factors may have led to the crash. A helicopter’s blade system is crucial to its flight, he said, and any damage or reduction of speed could contribute to such an incident.

“If a rotor blade hits a solid object, a tree certainly, or it gets off course, bent or damaged,” Diefenbach said, “it would slow down, taking the lift away. The aircraft could be completely out of control.”

He added that helicopters undergo rigorous maintenance schedules and are checked after every 100 hours of use.

“They’re in excellent condition compared to a car,” Diefenbach said. “Any part that is remotely out of tolerance would have to be replaced.”

NTSB officials are in the fact-finding phase of the investigation. The agency’s spokesman Weiss said investigators are looking into every aspect of the helicopter’s mechanics as well as the background of the pilot and passengers.

“That’s why we investigate these things,” Weiss said. “Right now, the way we do our investigations, everything is under consideration.”

In the last 10 years, 1,470 accidents occurred involving helicopters used as air ambulances, for search and rescue missions and commercial helicopter operations. As a result, 477 people died and 274 were injured, according to NTSB.

WCSO said the trio was heading back to Tallahassee after dinner at Angelo’s in Panacea. Ron Clifford said people at the restaurant saw the three drinking iced tea. Several said they stayed away from alcohol because they were flying.

They also made a lasting impression.

“All the people that saw them in the restaurant said they were having a blast,” Ron said, crying on the phone. “At least they were having fun right up until the last minute.”

Investigators are working with the helicopter’s engine manufacturer, Lycoming, and the maker of the frame, Robinson, and were doing an on-scene investigation earlier this week, where they collected evidence and examined the wreckage.

Now they’re looking at maintenance and pilot records, as well as autopsy and toxicology reports.

Funeral services for both men were held in Tallahassee this week. Members of Ooten’s family could not be reached for comment.

Ron Clifford said his family is a tight-knit group that gathers each year in Hilton Head for Camp Clifford, where family members are assigned a number denoting their family rank. The numbers now reach into the 30s.

He lost a son to Lou Gehrig’s disease a few years ago, but the unexpected death of a second son is different.

“This is a little tougher to deal with because it’s over in a heartbeat and you don’t get to say goodbye,” Ron Clifford said. “I don’t know how you get through this without the Lord and your close friends. It’s almost impossible.”


 

Terry Bryan Ooten (1964 - 2014) 


Terry Bryan Ooten

Terry Bryan Ooten, 49, of Tallahassee, passed away Saturday, February 8, 2014.

A celebration of his life will be held in a memorial service at Wildwood Presbyterian Church in Tallahassee on Thursday, February 13th at 2:00 pm. A burial service will be held immediately following at MeadowWood Memorial Park, Timberlane Road. Bevis Funeral Home (www.bevisfh.com or 850/385.2193) is handling the arrangements. 

A native of Chattanooga, TN, Terry lived in Tallahassee since 1969.He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1986. He studied at Florida State University and The University of Florida, graduating with an engineering degree.Among other businesses owned, he was the president of Trademark Development and Construction. He was a member of the Capital Tiger Bay Club and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. 

Terry loved his children with all of his heart, and supported his family and all of their activities. He went above and beyond in caring for his children.He was an avid supporter of his daughter Olivia, and her passions throughout her life including Maclay girls' soccer, running, and traveling. He was very involved as she grew up. Terry was Mr. Science in Kindergarten and would come in and do experiments in Olivia's class. Terry was also the leader of the Indian Princesses, and contributed a lot to Brownies. 

Terry also supported his son, TJ Ooten, in every way possible. Terry faithfully followed TJ's baseball teams, football teams, basketball teams, tennis teams, track team, and Cub Scouts throughout TJ's childhood. Terry would always be more than willing to host parties for his children, and he would often be the life of the party, cooking food for anybody who wanted it. 


Other than his family, his great joys in life were traveling, cooking, and flying.Terry taught cooking classes at Publix in his spare time, and he loved inventing new recipes and entertaining people. He was always making plans for the next place that his family wanted to visit. He believed in exposing his children to the world, and letting them experience different people and cultures as they grew up. Terry was a kind hearted, optimistic person who always had a positive outlook on life and a warm smile for everyone. 

He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Melissa Ooten, a son Terry Bryan Ooten, Jr. (TJ), 21, a daughter Olivia Madison Ooten, 18, his father Homer Ooten, his sister Cynthia (Cindy) Ooten Milne (Ian Milne), his nephew Alexander Milne, mother-in-law Linda Mings (Lonnie Mings), father-in-law David Wood, sister-in-law Susan Wood, and a host of other family members and friends.He was preceded by his mother Pamela Ooten. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Fellowship of Christian Athletes or FL. Baptist Children's Home. 

- See more at: http://www.legacy.com
Terry Bryan Ooten

Terry Bryan Ooten, 49, of Tallahassee, passed away Saturday, February 8, 2014.

A celebration of his life will be held in a memorial service at Wildwood Presbyterian Church in Tallahassee on Thursday, February 13th at 2:00 pm. A burial service will be held immediately following at MeadowWood Memorial Park, Timberlane Road. Bevis Funeral Home (www.bevisfh.com or 850/385.2193) is handling the arrangements.
A native of Chattanooga, TN, Terry lived in Tallahassee since 1969.He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1986. He studied at Florida State University and The University of Florida, graduating with an engineering degree.Among other businesses owned, he was the president of Trademark Development and Construction. He was a member of the Capital Tiger Bay Club and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Terry loved his children with all of his heart, and supported his family and all of their activities. He went above and beyond in caring for his children.He was an avid supporter of his daughter Olivia, and her passions throughout her life including Maclay girls' soccer, running, and traveling. He was very involved as she grew up. Terry was Mr. Science in Kindergarten and would come in and do experiments in Olivia's class. Terry was also the leader of the Indian Princesses, and contributed a lot to Brownies.
Terry also supported his son, TJ Ooten, in every way possible. Terry faithfully followed TJ's baseball teams, football teams, basketball teams, tennis teams, track team, and Cub Scouts throughout TJ's childhood. Terry would always be more than willing to host parties for his children, and he would often be the life of the party, cooking food for anybody who wanted it.
Other than his family, his great joys in life were traveling, cooking, and flying.Terry taught cooking classes at Publix in his spare time, and he loved inventing new recipes and entertaining people. He was always making plans for the next place that his family wanted to visit. He believed in exposing his children to the world, and letting them experience different people and cultures as they grew up. Terry was a kind hearted, optimistic person who always had a positive outlook on life and a warm smile for everyone.
He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Melissa Ooten, a son Terry Bryan Ooten, Jr. (TJ), 21, a daughter Olivia Madison Ooten, 18, his father Homer Ooten, his sister Cynthia (Cindy) Ooten Milne (Ian Milne), his nephew Alexander Milne, mother-in-law Linda Mings (Lonnie Mings), father-in-law David Wood, sister-in-law Susan Wood, and a host of other family members and friends.He was preceded by his mother Pamela Ooten.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Fellowship of Christian Athletes or FL. Baptist Children's Home. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/tallahassee/obituary.aspx?n=terry-bryan-ooten&pid=169623089&fhid=5827#sthash.xBpR7JQZ.dpuf


Sheri Devore (pictured), 46 of Tallahassee, was among three people on board the Tallahassee Helicopters Robinson R-44 helicopter when it crashed early Saturday evening. 

 The pilot, Terry Ooten, and a second passenger, Curtis Robert Clifford, were both killed.


 The pilot, Terry Ooten, and a second passenger, Curtis Robert Clifford (pictured), were both killed.






































 




































UPDATE (February 10, 2014 - 11:08 A.M.)

PANACEA, Fla. (WTXL) -- The lone survivor of a weekend helicopter crash has been upgraded to 'fair condition'.

Sheri Devore, 46 of Tallahassee, was among three people on board the Tallahassee Helicopters Robinson R-44 helicopter when it crashed early Saturday evening.


The pilot, Terry Ooten, and a second passenger, Curtis Robert Clifford, were both killed.

A spokeswoman with Tallahassee Memorial Hospital told WTXL ABC27 Monday morning that Devore has been upgraded to fair condition.

Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are trying to determine the cause of the crash.

Deputies with the Wakulla County Sheriff's Office says the helicopter crashed after hitting trees and power lines as it was taking off Saturday evening from the Wakulla County Airport in Panacea.
The three were on their way back to Tallahassee after having dinner at Angelo and Son's restaurant.
"I drove them up there and we conversed all the way about the changes in the county, what they had to eat, how their lives were and how my life was," said Angeline Petrandis, an owner of Angelo and Son's restaurant.

Petrandis told WTXL ABC27's Jade Bulecza that she heard the news of the crash after getting back to the restaurant.

"One of the ladies who worked here came out running and said somebody's scanner said there was helicopter crash and it just rocked me because I knew it had to be them," said Petrandis.
She jumped in her truck and and found Devore on the ground.

Devore was taken to the hospital but the pilot Terry Ooten and Curtis Clifford were killed. The helicopter is registered to Tallahassee Helicopters. The owner of the company Dr. Thomas Diefenbach was a good friend of Ooten's.

"He was a very a generous person and he's really beloved by so many people in the community," said Dr. Diefenbach.

He remembers the trips they took together.

"We went to California to for the Robinson helicopter safety course which really helps to make pilots better pilots. Terry always strived to be the best pilot he could be."

It's those memories he'll cherish forever and he's praying for the families and that Devore will have a speedy recovery.

The helicopter was owned by Tallahassee Helicopters and was used by WTXL ABC27 for aerial coverage of news stories. The helicopter was not being used by WTXL ABC27 at the time of the accident. None of the people on the helicopter are employed by the station.

Our thoughts are with the families impacted by this tragic accident.

 http://www.wtxl.com


Panacea, FL - Federal Officials continue to investigate a helicopter crash in Panacea Saturday night. Two people are dead while one person recovers from the wreckage. 

"I seen a big flash of blue light we thought it was an accident so we came down to check it out and just seen a lady standing hollering for help standing on the bottom of a helicopter," explained Michael Carter who was there moments after the crash.

Around 8:00 Saturday evening a Tallahassee Helicopters chopper crashed in the marsh lands right outside Carter's home near the Wakulla County Airport.

"It kicked in that I needed to call the sheriff's office and do what I could do to save the lady or at least do what I could do to help save the lady," said Carter. 

When emergency responders arrived they found 49 year old Terry Ooten and 53 year old Curtis Cliford both dead inside the helicopter. Sheri Devore was the only one who survived. 

Sunday the remains of the helicopter were taken out of the marsh from where it was found and put in a secure location for investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. 

NTSB Air Safety Investigator, Stephen Stein explained, "Right now we are in the fact gathering phase of the investigation. So our team assembled on scene we documented the terrain, the area. We photographed the wreckage." 

NTSB says the investigation will take twelve months to complete and only then will they provide an explanation as to how this helicopter is now a pile of rubble. 

It's a scene Carter says he won't ever forget, "Somebody needed help I'd do it all over again."
NTSB is asking for anyone with information to please email them at: witness@ntsb.gov. 




By: Emily Johnson
UPDATED: February 9, 2014 - 7:55pm

Panacea, FL - "My first visual of them was they finished their meal and they came to the cash register and the cashier was going to take them to the airport, but she's so much more efficient on the cash register that I said let me take them," said Arline Petrandis, owner of Angelo and Sons.

Around 7:30 p.m. Saturday night, Petrandis says she drove Curtis Clifford, Terry Ooten and Sheri Devore back to the Wakulla County Airport. Petrandis says they talked about the restaurant and the times that the folks had eaten there.

"The last thing I said to them was 'oh what a romantic evening you've had. Tell everybody that's just wonderful that you flew your helicopter down here to eat at the restaurant.' They were just totally happy and totally pleasant. It's a shocking tragedy."

Before they could even start their journey home, authorities say their four passenger Robinson R-44 helicopter crashed into trees and power lines while leaving the airport in Panacea.

Petrandis says Angelo's restaurant is shocked that something like this happened in the small town.
"Everybody was just rocked to be that close to death. To see three people happy and 10 minutes later two of them have left this world. It rocks you."




Press Release: Tallahassee Helicopters
UPDATED: February 9, 2014 - 7:45pm


We, at Tallahassee Helicopters, are shocked and deeply hurt to hear of the tragic accident last night. On Saturday afternoon, Terry Ooten, who has been a long time customer and close friend to all of us at Tallahassee Helicopters, rented the helicopter to fly with two of his close friends to have dinner at a restaurant in Panacea.

The accident occurred as they were taking off to return to Tallahassee from Wakulla Airport, taking the life of Terry and his friend Curtis Clifford. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those two families and friends. We also join with all others in concern for the recovery of Sheri Devore.

Tallahassee Helicopters is collaborating with the FAA and the NTSB in their investigations."




By: Bailey Myers
UPDATED: February 9, 2014 - 8am


Panacea, FL – Two Tallahassee men are dead, and woman was injured after their helicopter crashed into a Wakulla County marshland.

“We had a crash out here of a helicopter,” said Wakulla County Sheriff Charlie Creel. “We were notified on the way that we had two deceased, and one survivor.”

53-year-old Curtis Robert Clifford and 49-year-old Terry Bryan Ooten were found dead in the Tallahassee Helicopters WTXL labeled chopper. The lone survivor is 45-year-old Sheri Noelle Devore.

Officials believe the helicopter had just taken off when it hit trees close to the Wakulla County Airport’s runway. The helicopter then cut nearby power lines, and came to rest in a marshy area.
“We were able to treat on victim and have them transported to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. We removed the other two victims later on,” said Wakulla County Fire Rescue Chief Mike Morgan.
The blades of the chopper were visible from the roadway, and teams of emergency responders spent hours combing through the wreckage.

“We don’t know if it was pilot error, mechanical error, we have no idea. That’s left to the NTSB,” Creel said.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) were both notified. They will be investigating what circumstances led up to and resulted in the crash.
WTXL says the helicopter was not being used for their news gathering purposes at the time of the crash.




UPDATED: February 8, 2014 - 11:47pm

The Wakulla County Sheriff's Office has released the names of the victims in the helicopter crash.
Curtis Robert Clifford, 53 and Terry Bryan Ooten, 49, both of Tallahassee were found dead at the scene of the crash.

Sheri Noelle Devore, 45, of Tallahassee was the lone survivor. She has been rushed to an area hospital. We are still waiting on her condition.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation and Safety Board have been notified and will be investigating tomorrow. 




UPDATED: February 8, 2014 - 9:09pm

Two people are dead after a helicopter crash in Panacea Saturday night. The pilot and a passenger died at the scene. An additional passenger survived and was taken to an area hospital by Life Flight.
The Wakulla County Sheriff's Office says the crash happened after the helicopter took off and hit either power lines or tree limbs. 

The helicopter crashed in a marshy area right by the landing strip.

This is not a military helicopter. WCSO has not released the names of the victims yet.




By: James Buechele
February 8, 2014 - 8:45pm


Panacea, FL - A helicopter has crashed near the Panacea landing strip in Wakulla County. 

Wakulla County Sheriff Charlie Creel has confirmed a helicopter crashed sometime after 8:00 p.m. on Saturday. A large portion of Panacea is without power right now.

Few details are known at this time. We have a reporter headed to the scene. As soon as more information comes in we will post it on WCTV.tv

Source:   http://www.wctv.tv


TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) -- Two people are dead after a helicopter crash in Panacea.

One person survived but at this time, their condition is unknown.

Deputies with the Wakulla County Sheriff's Office are on the scene of the crash.

They say it happened around eight p.m. They believe the helicopter clipped some trees before crashing in a marshy wooded area near the airport in Pancea.

The sheriff's office originally stated the pilot was 53-year old Curtis Robert Clifford, but now they have learned Clifford was a passenger and 49-year old Terry Bryan Ooten was the pilot.  They were both killed. Another passenger 45-year old Sheri Noelle Devore survived.

The helicopter was owned by Tallahassee Helicopters.

WTXL partners with the company to gather video of news events.

The helicopter was not flying for our purposes Saturday. Tallahassee Helicopters uses the aircraft for training as well as rentals.

Deputies tell us the three flew the helicopters to eat at a restaurant in Panacea.

The crash happened as they were leaving. Our thoughts and prayers our with the families involved.

Here's more information from the Wakulla County Sheriff's Office:

At approximately 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8 two Tallahassee men were killed in a helicopter crash at the Wakulla County Airport in Panacea. A Tallahassee woman was injured and transported to a Tallahassee hospital with unknown injuries by medical helicopter.

The three individuals were on their way back to Tallahassee after eating at a local restaurant. The helicopter clipped a tree limb and crashed and landed on its top. The tree limb took down a power line which hampered emergency worker efforts until the line could be turned off. The helicopter landed in a wooded and marshy area near the airport.

The FAA and NTSB will be called to the scene to continue the investigation. The emergency call was answered by FHP, the Ochlockonee Bay VFD, Wakulla Firefighters and the Wakulla County Sheriff's Office.

The helicopter was owned by Tallahassee Helicopter and was used for video footage for news stories for WTXL Channel 27. The helicopter was not being used by WTXL at the time the accident took place. None of the people on the helicopter are employees of the television station.

February 8, 2014 8:37 p.m.

PANACEA, Fla. (WTXL)--A helicopter crash in Panacea kills two people.

The Wakulla County Sheriff's Office says one person survived. The person's condition is unknown. Deputies say the helicopter is owned by Tallahassee Helicopters.

Deputies believe the helicopter clipped some trees limbs in a marshy, wooded area around 8 p.m. near the airport.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - On Monday, March 3, 2014, the Tallahassee Technology (TalTech) Alliance will host a happy hour fundraiser for local business executive Curtis Clifford, who was also the TalTech Alliance treasurer. Clifford was tragically killed during a helicopter crash on February 8, 2014 in Wakulla County, Florida. The event will be held at Madison Social on Monday, March 3 from 5-7 p.m.

Two of Taltech’s members will be the official bartenders for this event. All of the tips collected by the two will be donated to an organization chosen by Clifford's family and TalTech. The organization chosen is one that supports the research of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gherig's Disease.

For more information, visit www.taltech.org. To RSVP, please email Amanda Kuff at AmandaKuff@Taltech.org.

Source:    http://www.wtxl.com

The pilot, Terry Ooten, and a second passenger, Curtis Robert Clifford (pictured), were both killed in a helicopter crash on Feb. 8, 2014.



NTSB Identification: ERA14FA115
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, February 08, 2014 in Panacea, FL
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II, registration: N571AC
Injuries: 2 Fatal,1 Serious.

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 February 8, 2014, about 1945 eastern standard time, a Robinson R-44 II, N571AC, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain after takeoff from Wakulla County Airport (2J0), Panacea, Florida. The private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured, and another passenger sustained serious injuries. The helicopter was registered to Capital Helicopters, LLC, and was operated by a private individual. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which was destined for Tallahassee Regional Airport (TLH), Tallahassee, Florida. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

The helicopter had landed at 2J0 earlier in the day with the pilot and two passengers onboard. After eating at a local restaurant the pilot and passengers were transported back to the airport, where they arrived at approximately 1930 for their return flight to TLH. According to the surviving passenger, the pilot stated they would have to "back up" the helicopter prior to takeoff. The helicopter then departed the airport and, moments later, the passenger called out the pilot's name as they impacted trees.

A witness at the airp ort reported seeing the helicopter parked "facing south" prior to its departure. He did not observe the helicopter take off, but after hearing a loud "snap," he drove to the end of his driveway, where he heard the passenger calling for help.

The wreckage was located in a marsh bordered by trees, about 353 feet northwest of the departure end of runway 36. The tree tops located next to the main wreckage exhibited impact markings approximately 50 feet above ground level. The main wreckage was oriented about 24 degrees magnetic, and came to rest inverted in several feet of water. The main rotor blades both exhibited coning in the negative direction, but remained attached to the main rotor mast with the exception of the trailing edge of one of the blades, which had been impact separated. The tailboom was separated from the fuselage and was co-located with the main wreckage.