FlarePath

What happened

NTSB summary, verbatim

The pilot and passenger departed in the helicopter on the on-demand passenger flight. Cockpit imagery indicated that, while enroute, the pilot experienced a sudden loss of consciousness. The helicopter departed controlled flight and impacted terrain. Examination of the helicopter revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Autopsy of the pilot was limited due to extensive traumatic injury. While the pilot’s cardiovascular system showed no evidence of natural disease, an arrhythmia or other electrical disorder would not leave evidence on autopsy; thus, the cause of the pilot’s sudden incapacitation could not be determined. Varying levels of ethanol were detected in the pilot’s liver, lung, kidney, and muscle tissue. Butanol and propanol were also detected in some tissues. Given the differing ethanol tissue concentrations, the state the body was recovered, and the presence of butanol and propanol in some tissues, it is likely that the identified ethanol was from sources other than ingestion.

Photographs

8the aircraft, and what the investigators found

Wreckage and site documentation · 8 photographs from the docket

Photographs are NTSB docket attachments — works of the US government, in the public domain. Captions are the Board’s own.

Probable cause

the Board's determination

The pilot’s sudden loss of consciousness for undetermined reasons during cruise flight, which resulted in a loss of control and impact with terrain.

Occurrence sequence

3 stepsNTSB coding · CICTT taxonomy

1 · Enroute-cruise
Medical event
defining event
2 · Enroute-cruise
Loss of control in flight
3 · Uncontrolled descent
Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)

Findings

1 causal · 0 contributing

CAUSE
Personnel issues › Physical › Impairment/incapacitation — Flight crew

NTSB analysis

from the final report

The pilot and passenger departed in the helicopter on the on-demand passenger flight. Cockpit imagery indicated that, while enroute, the pilot experienced a sudden loss of consciousness. The helicopter departed controlled flight and impacted terrain. Examination of the helicopter revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Autopsy of the pilot was limited due to extensive traumatic injury. While the pilot’s cardiovascular system showed no evidence of natural disease, an arrhythmia or other electrical disorder would not leave evidence on autopsy; thus, the cause of the pilot’s sudden incapacitation could not be determined. Varying levels of ethanol were detected in the pilot’s liver, lung, kidney, and muscle tissue. Butanol and propanol were also detected in some tissues. Given the differing ethanol tissue concentrations, the state the body was recovered, and the presence of butanol and propanol in some tissues, it is likely that the identified ethanol was from sources other than ingestion.