ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 387086
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Monday 29 April 2024 |
| Time: | 15:13 |
| Type: | Vertical Hummingbird 260L |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N829SH |
| MSN: | 1146 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2012 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Spring Branch, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Kestrel Airpark, TX (1T7) |
| Kestrel Airpark, TX (1T7) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
On April 29, 2024, about 1513 central daylight time, a Vertical Aviation Technologies Hummingbird 260L helicopter, N829SH, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Spring Branch, Texas. The airline transport pilot and the pilot-rated passenger sustained fatal injuries. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 air drop flight.
The purpose of the flight was to perform a charity golf ball drop at the River Crossing Club (a private golf club), in Spring Branch, Texas. The helicopter departed from the Kestrel Airpark (1T7), Spring Branch, Texas, for the local area flight. Security camera footage showed the helicopter impact a grass field in a residential area, in front of a house. A postimpact explosion and fire occurred, which consumed the wreckage. There were no ground injuries. The NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) responded to the accident site.
According to FAA records, the pilot was also the owner and builder of the experimental helicopter. The helicopter was built in 2012 and is based on the Sikorsky S-52 series helicopter design per the kit manufacturer. According to the pilot’s family, he was a retired U.S. Air Force pilot who flew the Sikorsky MH-53 series helicopter.
The helicopter was equipped with a General Motors LS7 (V8, 7.0 liter) automotive engine. An Appareo Stratus unit and the pilot’s Garmin D2 watch were recovered from the wreckage and were shipped to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory.
The estimated density altitude for the closest meteorological reporting station was 3,268 ft.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2024/04/29/2-killed-in-plane-crash-in-spring-branch-authorities-say/
https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/aircraft-crashes-in-spring-branch-texas-neighborhood/273-9a44ea00-e3e1-49f8-b413-4ede5e5745fe
NTSB
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=829SH
History of this aircraft
-
Location
Media:
NTSB investigating Monday's crash of a Hummingbird 260L experimental amateur-built helicopter in Spring Branch, Texas.
— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) April 30, 2024
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 29-Apr-2024 22:35 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 30-Apr-2024 01:54 | RobertMB | Updated [Nature, Source, Narrative] |
| 30-Apr-2024 02:03 | RobertMB | Updated [Embed code] |
| 30-Apr-2024 02:04 | RobertMB | Updated [Embed code] |
| 30-Apr-2024 02:04 | RobertMB | Updated [[Embed code]] |
| 30-Apr-2024 06:32 | Anon. | Updated [Departure airport, Embed code] |
| 30-Apr-2024 06:46 | RobertMB | Updated [Departure airport] |
| 01-May-2024 00:00 | vasilf | Updated [Embed code] |
| 01-May-2024 18:50 | Anon. | Updated [Source, Embed code] |
| 04-May-2024 11:26 | Anonymous | Updated [Narrative] |
| 08-May-2024 18:47 | Captain Adam | Updated [Time, Phase, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation