April 28, 2008, Bartlett, Texas, Robinson R44

The helicopter was destroyed by a post-crash fire after impacting the ground at approximately 1045 Central time following an attempted takeoff from a private field. The pilot received minor injuries and the one passenger sustained serious injuries. Visual conditions prevailed. The helicopter owner had reportedly purchased the helicopter seven days prior to the accident. Additionally, the helicopter was previously owned by a flight school, and had been disassembled for shipment. The accident pilot reportedly bought the helicopter and a local mechanic reassembled it.

Friday, May 23, 2008 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A helicopter crashed and was destroyed by a post-crash fire during an attempted takeoff, initially causing minor injuries to the pilot and passenger.
The accident occurred when the helicopter's tail skid/rotor hit an embankment, causing it to roll onto its side.
The passenger sustained severe burns and serious injuries after returning to the burning helicopter to retrieve a briefcase.
The helicopter had been recently purchased seven days prior and reassembled by a local mechanic after being acquired disassembled from a flight school.

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The helicopter owner had reportedly purchased the helicopter seven days prior to the accident. Additionally, the helicopter was previously owned by a flight school, and had been disassembled for shipment. The accident pilot reportedly bought the helicopter and a local mechanic reassembled it. Preliminary statements indicate the helicopters tail skid/rotor hit an embankment during takeoff and the helicopter rolled onto its side. Both the pilot and passenger were able to exit the helicopter with only minor injuries. However, the passenger then returned to the helicopter to retrieve a briefcase. The passenger was severely burned, and the helicopters airframe was largely consumed by the post-crash fire.