JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The helicopter that crashed on Ponte Vedra Beach two weeks ago, killing a flight instructor and student pilot, had just undergone repairs, according to the preliminary report of accident investigators.
The Robinson R44 helicopter crashed and burned on March 27.
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The National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary report says the training flight out of Silver State Helicopters at Craig Airport was scheduled to be aboard a smaller Robinson R22 helicopter, but the R44 was substituted because of a scheduling conflict.
The R44 aircraft was returned to service the previous day after a scheduled inspection that involved the removal and replacement of some parts -- including components of the aircrafts rotor assembly. The fatal flight was the first scheduled after a 30-minute test flight.
A witness, a former pilot and mechanic, told NTSB investigators he saw the helicopter flying along the coastline at an altitude of 200 to 500 feet when he heard a change in "rotor noise, followed by a bang/pop/twang sound."
The helicopter then "snap-rolled" to the left and fell to the ground, impacting the sand, bounced, came to rest, then caught on fire, according to the report.
Silver State employee Tamara Williams, 38, of California, and student Justin Ducan, 24, of Jacksonville, died in the crash and fire.
The report says the inspection of the wreckage found that a fitting on a part of the rotor-blade assembly "was disconnected and the attach hardware (bolt, lock nut, two washers, pal nut) was missing."
The preliminary report did not give a cause of the crash, but a lawyer representing the pilot's family told Channel 4's Jim Piggott the missing hardware could be responsible.
"The control tube was not secured, and that's basically the lifeline in control of the aircraft," attorney Don Maciejewski said.
Maciejewski used an analogy of a car to explain what could happen if the control tube was disconnected.
"Try to go around a curve in your car at 40 mph and go to turn the steering wheel and nothing happens. You're going to crash regardless of whatever you try to do," Maciejewski said.
The NTSB's final report is expected to take six months to complete.
Those who knew Williams said she was wonderful instructor who always put safety first.
Those who knew Duncan said he moved Jacksonville about three years ago and was an aspiring pilot who loved to fly.
Silver State operates more than 20 commercial helicopter facilities in 10 states, including Craig Airport and three other locations in Florida. Silver State's office in Jacksonville referred Channel 4 to the company's headquarters in Las Vegas. That office did not return a call requesting comment.
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- March 27, 2007: 2 Die As Helicopter Crashes On Beach