Investigator In Charge (IIC): Boggs, Daniel
The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Sean Smith; Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Louisville, Kentucky
Location: Mammoth Cave, Kentuky
Accident Number: ERA22FA397
Date and Time: September 3, 2022, 17:40 Local
Registration: N162NH
Aircraft: HISSERICH NICHOLAS S JETEXEC
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
On September 3, 2022, about 1740 central daylight time, an experimental, amateur built Rotorcraft JetExec helicopter, N162NH, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Arthur, Kentucky. The pilot was fatally injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The helicopter was recently purchased in St. Louis, Missouri by the owner, who asked a friend to fly it on a multi-leg flight to Knoxville, Tennessee, where it would be based. The third leg of the trip was intended to depart Sturgis Municipal Airport (TWT), Sturgis, Kentucky, for Glasgow Municipal Airport (GLW), Glasgow, Kentucky. Several witnesses at TWT stated that they were aware of “stormy” weather in the surrounding area, and they tried to convince the pilot to wait a day or two for the weather to improve. The pilot did not want to wait and departed for GLW with his wife. About 30 minutes later, the pilot returned to the departure airport, dropped off his wife and subsequently departed again. The pilot’s wife flew home in a private airplane and when her husband did not arrive later that evening, she reported him missing. The wreckage was subsequently located in the Mammoth Cave National State Park on September 5th.
The accident site was located in heavily wooded, steep terrain. The airframe came to rest on its left side oriented on a heading of about 45° magnetic. The cabin, instrument panel, seats, and engine compartment were all fractured in several pieces. The tail boom remained attached to the fuselage but was heavy damaged from impact forces. The tail rotor was wedged between two trees and both tail rotor blades were fractured off and located near the front of the helicopter. The engine was impact separated from the gearbox. The engine exhibited evidence of tortional twisting. The engine rotated freely. The main rotor gearbox rotated freely. A borescope was used to inspect the combustion and turbine blades.
No anomalies were noted with the engine.
The helicopter was recovered and retained for further examination.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: HISSERICH NICHOLAS S
Registration: N162NH
Model/Series: JETEXEC
Aircraft Category: Helicopter
Amateur Built: Yes
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: VMC
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KGLW, 716 ft msl
Observation Time: 17:35 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 13 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 22°C /22°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 6 knots / , 280°
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 9000 ft AGL
Visibility: 7 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.08 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: VFR
Departure Point: Sturgis, KY (TWT)
Destination: Glasgow, KY (GLW)
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 37.175949,-86.15031 (est)
Rotorcraft crashed under unknown circumstances in a wooded area.
Date: 04-SEP-22
Time: 02:07:00Z
Regis#: N162NH
Aircraft Make: EXPERIMENTAL
Aircraft Model: JETEXEC
Event Type: ACCIDENT
Highest Injury: FATAL
Total Fatal: 1
Flight Crew: 1 Fatal
Pax: 0
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: EN ROUTE (ENR)
Operation: 91
City: ARTHUR
State: KENTUCKY
Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation may contact them by email witness@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov. You can also call the NTSB Response Operations Center at 844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290.
David Stone
~
UPDATE: 3:25 p.m.
On Monday afternoon, first responders said the helicopter was located and family was being notified. No other details were immediately provided.
"Please keep the family and all involved in your prayers," Glasgow/Barren County Emergency Management said in a Facebook post.
ORIGINAL STORY
MUHLENBERG COUNTY, KY (WSIL) -- Emergency management officials in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, are asking residents to check their property for a crashed or landed helicopter and its pilot.
Glasgow\Barren County Emergency Management Deputy Director Marcus Thurman said contact has been lost with a small executive helicopter that was flying through the area over the weekend.
The pilot, David Stone, took off from Coeur Airport in St. Louis, Missouri around Noon Saturday. He stopped in Sparta, Illinois and called his wife and reported no issues. He said he was headed to Glasgow, Kentucky, to fuel again before heading to Knoxville, Tennessee. That was the last contact anyone has had with Stone.
A ping of the iPad that was with Stone was requested. The last known pinged location was near the Warren/Edmonson County line near Chalybeate. No contact has been made as of 12:48 p.m. Monday.
Hunters saw the helicopter and said it was flying southeasterly, so emergency officials in Muhlenberg County and surrounding areas are asking residents to check their property for a crashed or landed helicopter and Mr. Stone.
Anyone who finds helicopter wreckage or a landed helicopter on your property is asked to contact local law enforcement. You are asked not to tamper with anything, just provide aid to Mr. Stone.
Missing person
David Stone
White male
5'7 155 lbs
Clean shaven
Military veteran
Missing aircraft
Blue JetExec
Tail # N162NH
From WKRN news update:
ReplyDeleteDavid Stone was an Army pilot and a retired airline pilot, according to friends. He went to St. Louis to pick up a helicopter his friend just bought.
Despite his flying experience, people who met Stone in St. Louis told News 2 they did everything they could to try to convince him not to take off Saturday, because of the bad weather.
https://www.wkrn.com/news/kentucky/missing-pilot-found-dead-in-helicopter-wreckage-in-kentucky/
Airmen registry shows 1st Class Medical was renewed Feb 2022, ATP big iron certs, Commercial rotorcraft certs, instructor certs and repairmen cert for his RV-8 he built in 2012, currently registered as N440DT with ADS-B history at Stone Field Airport, 44TN.
ReplyDeleteGone too soon. Hoping family and friends find peace and carry on.
David was an awesome man great pilot and good friend. RIP
ReplyDeleteThe world will suffer from the loss of this humble man. RIP Dave.
ReplyDelete