Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Robinson R44 Raven II, N444KD: Accident occurred August 25, 2015 near South Grand Lake Regional Airport (1K8), Ketchum, Oklahoma

MARCOTTE VETERINARY CLINIC PC:  http://registry.faa.govN444KD

NTSB Identification: CEN15LA379 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, August 25, 2015 in Ketchum, OK
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II, registration: N444KD
Injuries: 1 Minor.

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 may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On August 25, 2015, about 0750 central daylight time, a Robinson Helicopter R44 II, N444KD, sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain about .7 nm east of the South Grand Lake Regional Airport (1K8), Ketchum, Oklahoma, after a loss of the tailrotor gearbox. The pilot received minor injuries. The helicopter was registered to the Marcotte Veterinary Clinic PC and operated by the pilot under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed from 1K8 about 1748 on a local flight. 

At 0735, the surface weather observation at the Grove Municipal Airport (GMJ) located about 23 nm east of 1K8, was: wind calm and variable, 10 miles visibility, skies clear, temperature 12 degrees C, dew point 12 degrees C, altimeter 30.17 inches of mercury.

FAA  Flight Standards District Office: FAA Oklahoma City FSDO-15




KETCHUM, Okla. —  Officials are investigating a crash site after a helicopter went down near Ketchum.

"You don't see a whole lot of that around here," said Trooper Marcus Murphy with Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

According to the FAA, the Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter lost its tail rotor after departure from the Ketchum airport just before 8 a.m.

The pilot, a Vinita veterinarian named John Marcotte, sustained minor injuries and was able to get a ride from a passerby to the airport. The helicopter was badly damaged. 

He said he was on his way to a call in Grove to check on a patient.

Grand River Dam Authorities are looking into the crash near 320 and 4490 road. The FAA is also investigating. 

They say it may be weeks before they have an official cause for the crash, but the preliminary cause lies in the tail rotor coming off.

- Story, video and photo:   http://www.fox23.com

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