NTSB releases new details on Jasper Co. helicopter crash that killed 3

JASPER COUNTY, Ga. -- A newly-released federal report has revealed new details surrounding last month's fatal helicopter crash near Monticello.

MORE: Jasper County helicopter crash victims identified: Sheriff's Office

The National Transportation Safety Board report states that the passenger chartered the flight in order to look at properties in South Georgia and northern Florida for personal business.

The Robinson R66 aircraft took off from Fulton County Executive Airport in Atlanta around 7 a.m. on September 15.

From there the crew headed south, making a stop in Reidsville, before heading to their destination -- Finlayson Farm Airport in Greenfield, Florida.

The NTSB says the crew was in Greenfield for several hours and never filed a flight plan for the return flight.

After leaving Greenfield to head back to Georgia, the helicopter stopped in Thomasville for fuel.

Around 6:40 p.m. that day, preliminary Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) data indicates that the crew then headed north for about 80 nautical miles, ending up near Andersonville.

Nearly an hour later at 7:37 p.m., a family member of the passenger sent them a text asking when they'd return.

The NTSB report states the passenger claimed the pilots had briefly landed the helicopter in a field due to a "bad storm" that popped up.

The passenger's text showed that they expected to be back in Atlanta by 9:30 p.m. They also texted a picture during the stop to the family member, which "showed a grass field, gray skies, and rain on the helicopter window."

After taking off from the field, ADS-B data shows the aircraft headed north, following a power transmission and right-of-way for four nautical miles, before backtracking and heading south for three nautical miles.

The aircraft then turned and made a stop at Perry-Houston County Airport at about 8:15 p.m.

The crew then flew over Macon before making it to the area of Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge, where the crash happened.

The NTSB said the area was covered in dense forest, and the helicopter made a series of shallow left and right track changes before rapidly descending.

The ADS-B signal was lost at 8:46 p.m. with the helicopter reporting an altitude of 925 feet msl.

POST CRASH REPORT

The helicopter was located about 400 feet laterally from the accident site.

Witnesses south of the accident reported hearing a low flying helicopter and said it was also raining at that time.

The National Weather Service weather radar depicted echoes of 20 to 37 dBZ along the helicopter's flight track.

Additionally, an isolated cell with a maximum echo intensity of 53 dBZ was located about 4nm west of the accident at that time. No lightning was detected with the echo or within 25nm of the accident site.

The echoes were associated with light to moderate rain at the surface, with the strong intensity echoes associated with heavy rain.

The helicopter impacted trees and terrain at an elevation of 601 feet.

The wreckage path was about 150 feet in length.

Several trees at the initial impact point had broken limbs and branches near the tops.

Small debris was scattered along in a fan-like matter.

A 24-inch tip of one main rotor blade was found about 75 feet west from the main wreckage.

The cockpit and cabin were severely damaged by impact forces and post-crash fire. The flight control system was severely damaged by fire and impact force.

There was no evidence of pre-impact failures or malfunctions with the control system.

The engine remained within the general wreckage area and had been exposed to post-crash fire.

The engine controls were damaged by impact forces but revealed no other damage or anomaly, the control arms remained attached and moved freely.

There was no evidence of inflight engine fire, failure, or malfunction prior to impact.

The NTSB says an examination of the recovered airframe, flight control system components, transmission, rotor system and engine revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

this is a preliminary report and more information on the cause of the crash could come out at a later time.