NYC01FA053

the pilot's improper weather evaluation, and his failure to maintain terrain clearance while operating over unlighted terrain at night. Factors were the isolated areas of fog, and night conditions.

The non-instrument rated pilot departed on a night cross-country flight with no record of a weather briefing. Although visual meteorological conditions prevailed, witnesses along the route of flight reported isolated areas of fog and low clouds were present. The terrain was rolling tree-covered hills with no ground lighting. Two witnesses in a vehicle saw a momentary glow behind a ridge covered by a low cloud. A tree with freshly skinned bark located near the top of a ridge was found 670 feet prior to where the main wreckage was found. The debris trail between the tree and main wreckage included components from the battery located in the nose of the helicopter, side doors, windshield plexiglas, part of the trailing edge of one main rotor blade, and part of one tail rotor blade. The helicopter burned at impact. No evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction was found with the helicopter or engine. The pilot's total flight experience was estimated at about 386 hours with 60 hours in make and model.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On December 4, 2000, about 1910 Eastern Standard Time, a Robinson R-44A, N744FC, operated by Christian Cardiology, Manchester, Kentucky, was destroyed when it impacted rising terrain near Sandgap, Kentucky. The non-instrument rated, certificated private pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site. No flight plan had been filed for the business flight that was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot, along with two company employees were en route to Lexington, Kentucky, to acquire additional equipment for a planned expansion of the pilot's medical practice. According to witnesses, the flight had been planned to depart from his office in Manchester, with an intermediate stop at Jackson, Kentucky, and then proceed to Lexington. The pilot was estimated to have departed about 1850. Several witnesses along the route of flight reported either seeing or hearing a helicopter fly by. However, a check of the times the helicopter was observed or heard, revealed most were earlier than the departure time of the accident flight. Two witnesses in a vehicle, were headed toward McKee, Kentucky, about 1910. They observed a bright glow on the opposite side of a ridgeline through clouds. One of the witness reported the glow lasted for about 5 seconds and described it as similar to a sunrise. The other witness reported a low cloud covered the top of the ridge. Neither witness saw or heard the helicopter prior to the glow, nor was any smoke observed after the glow. Based upon the witnesses' observations, the wreckage was found on December 5, 2000. The accident occurred during the hours of darkness at 37 degrees, 31.272 north latitude, and 84 degrees, 04.911 minutes west longitude. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot held a private pilot certificate for rotorcraft - helicopter, issued on May 21, 2000. According to the pilot's airman application, his flight experience was 176 hours with 22.6 hours of solo/pilot-in-command (PIC), all in Robinson R22s. Additional flight experience was reconstructed through incomplete pilot logbooks, and maintenance records of helicopters flown. At the time of the accident, the pilot's total flight experience was estimated to be 386 hours, with 232 hours as PIC. He was estimated to have accumulated 326 hours in the Robinson R-22, and 60 hours in the Robinson R-44A. On September 9, 1999, the pilot was issued a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), third class airman medical certificate, with a limitation to wear corrective lenses for distant vision, and possess glasses for near vision. Interviews with the two flight instructors, who flew with the pilot, revealed that both thought he was an above average student. However, one flight instructor expressed concern about the pilot's awareness of his own limitations as a low time pilot. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The helicopter was not approved for flight in instrument meteorological conditions. It was equipped with dual VHF communications radios, an encoding altimeter, and a GPS with a moving map display. Other than the GPS, no navigation equipment was installed. The helicopter was estimated to have accumulated about 60 hours since new at the time of the accident. The last documented refueling occurred at the airport in London, Kentucky, on December 1, 2000. At that time, the helicopter was serviced with 38.8 gallons of 100 LL aviation grade gasoline. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION All telephone contacts with FAA Flight Service Station weather briefers are recorded, and available for review. A check of FAA facilities found no record of a pre-departure weather briefing. The pilot's wife reported they had a security monitoring system in the office. She had reviewed the tape after the accident, and observed her husband making at least two phone calls to check the weather prior to departure. Alternate means of obtaining weather were available to the pilot through the use of pre-recorded weather from a variety of different sources. However, when a person calls the various pre-recorded weather sources, no record is made of the telephone call. The three closest weather-reporting stations to the accident site were London, Jackson, and Lexington, Kentucky. London had a field elevation of 1,212 feet. The distance and bearing to Manchester and the accident site were 079 deg at 16 NM, and 003 deg at 26 NM respectively. Between 1800 and 2000, the visibility varied between 8 and 9 statute miles, and the lowest ceiling was between 1,500 and 2,000 feet AGL. Jackson had a field elevation of 1,381 feet. The distance and bearing to Manchester and the accident site were 223 deg at 34 NM, and 267 deg at 37 NM respectively. Between 1800 and 2000, the visibility was 10 statute miles, and the ceiling varied between 1,400 and 1,600 feet AGL. Lexington had a field elevation of 979 feet. The distance and bearing to Manchester and the accident site were 145 deg at 66 NM, and 147 deg / 40 NM respectively. Between 1800 and 2000, the visibility varied between 6 and 7 statute miles. The lowest ceiling varied between 900 and 1,100 feet AGL. The most recent area forecast (FA) prior to departure of the accident flight was issued at 1445 on December 4, 2000. The outlook for eastern Kentucky was broken clouds at 2,000 feet msl, with tops at 4,000 feet msl. In the extreme portions of eastern Kentucky, the sky would be clear until 1700. The outlook was for marginal VFR ceilings. According to the Accident Prevention Program Publication, FAA-P-8740-30B, HOW TO OBTAIN A GOOD WEATHER BRIEFING, marginal VFR conditions are when the ceiling is between 3,000 feet and 5,000 feet AGL, and/or visibility is between 3 and 5 statute miles inclusive. Two AIRMETS (Airmen's Meteorological Information), with three geographic areas for specific types of weather were contained within the area forecast. The geographic areas covered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) - referred to in the AIRMET as IFR, mountain obscurement, and icing conditions. The geographic area for IMC conditions (IFR), and icing conditions covered the planned route of flight for the helicopter. The geographic area for mountain obscurement covered the departure point. However, the accident site was outside of the geographic area. Following are the AIRMET comments for IMC conditions, mountain obscurement, and icing conditions. IMC Conditions - Indiana and Kentucky - Occasional ceilings below 1,000 feet/visibility below 3 statute miles, with mist and/or fog. Conditions ending by 1700 to 1900. Conditions developing extreme eastern Kentucky by 1700 to 1800. Conditions continuing beyond 2200 through 0400 December 5, 2000. Mountain Obscurement - Kentucky and Tennessee - Mountains occasionally obscured with cloud, mist, and fog. Conditions continuing beyond 2200 through 0400 December 5, 2000. Icing Conditions - Indiana and Kentucky - Occasional moderate rime and mixed icing in precipitation below 4,000 feet AGL. Conditions ending by 1700 to 1900. Conditions continuing beyond 2200 through 0400, December 5, 2000, in Kentucky. Witnesses along the route of flight reported variable weather, with fog or overcast conditions, while the person who saw the glow from the impact reported he could see the moon through breaks in the clouds, and there was no fog in the area. Further, he reported the visibility was about 1 mile. A pilot who had several years experience operating in Kentucky reported that the hills in eastern Kentucky can generate weather when none is forecast. He further reported that you could not always count on the forecast weather to remain as indicated, and that it could be significantly better or worse than forecast. RADAR AND OTHER REMOTELY RECORDED DATA Radar data was received from the Indianapolis Air Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). A chec