Hughes TH-55 accident near Cornelia, Georgia, May 26, 2005
On May 26, 2005 at about 8:44 pm local time, a Hughes TH-55 (helicopter), registered N681BC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cornelia, Georgia (Habersham County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate object clearance, which resulted in the in-flight collision with terrain, and the subsequent rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 26, 2005 · about 8:44 pm local time
- Place
- Cornelia, Georgia · Habersham County · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes TH-55 · all TH-55s on the register
- Registration
- N681BC · registry record · serial 380808
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to film the construction of a local building. The helicopter was brought to a hover between 15-20 feet off of the ground in the parking lot of the building. The helicopter was air taxied to a grass field approximately 100 feet away. As the pilot began his takeoff run he approached a row of trees that were approximately 50 feet tall and was unable to gain altitude. He initiated a quick stop maneuver, and the tail rotor became entangled in high vegetation. The helicopter began to spin to the right, and collided with the ground and rolled over onto the left side. Examination of the helicopter revealed, that the tail boom separated from the fuselage, all main rotor blades were bent and damaged. The left skid was broken and loose. Review of the FAA rotorcraft flying handbook states: Rapid Deceleration (Quick Stop) should be conducted at an altitude high enough to avoid danger to the tail rotor during flare, but low enough to stay out of the crosshatched or shaded areas of the height/ velocity diagram throughout the maneuver. Review of the FAA rotorcraft flying handbook states: Rapid Deceleration (Quick Stop) should be conducted at an altitude high enough to avoid danger to the tail rotor during flare.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 300 hours in all; 200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,534 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2005; 229 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 180 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Cornelia GA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: Cornelia GA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from GVL, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL05CA089.