Robinson R44 N7085U

Summary

On 6 February 2006 at about 07:15 local time, a Robinson R44 registered N7085U, operated by Patrick Pfeifhofer, was involved in an accident near Helena, Montana, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 February 2006 at 07:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Helena, Montana, United States

Coordinates

46.7053, -111.9769

Aircraft

Robinson R44

Registration

N7085U

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Patrick Pfeifhofer

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Butte → Helena

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

SEA06LA052

1 person died.

The pilot's intentional suicide. The unauthorized use of a helicopter and impairment by alcohol were factors.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial helicopter instructor pilot, who had come to the United States to learn to fly helicopters about four years earlier, had just concluded the evening by celebrating his twenty-first birthday and watching a football game. Distraught over personal matters, the pilot departed the party and drove from Helena, Montana, to Butte, Montana. After arriving at the helicopter operation where he was employed, the pilot secured a helicopter and departed on an unauthorized night flight to Helena. After his arrival in Helena, and while airborne, the pilot called the residence where he had previously departed from and spoke with friends, indicating that he was flying, losing control of the aircraft, and running out of fuel. The pilot also said that he was going to commit suicide, as he "could not go on like this any longer." A review of the taped conversation by local law enforcement investigators failed to indicate that the pilot ever said he was losing control or running out of fuel. Post-accident observations by Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspectors indicated that the aircraft had been consumed by fire. No anomalies with the helicopter were noted, that would have precluded normal operations. Law enforcement personnel who searched the pilot's apartment located a three-page note, which revealed his intention to commit suicide. The pilot had consumed alcohol in the hours before the accident, and two twelve ounce bottles of beer were recovered at the accident site. The toxicology report revealed a high alcohol level in the pilot's system, and the autopsy report indicated the manner of death as "suicide."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.