Says Pilot's Medical Certificate Had Been Revoked

The company that insured helicopter pilot Henry "Hank" Schwartz has denied claims from homeowners in the Bristol Commons condominiums in Williamsburg, VA whose homes were damaged or destroyed when Schwartz' aircraft went down in the complex.

The Virginia Gazette reports that the company said in a letter to the residents that their claims were being denied because Schwartz' medical certificate had been revoked by the FAA, and he should not have been flying at the time of the accident. Schwartz and one other person in the condo complex were fatally injured when the Robinson R44 went down. A post-impact fire ensued.

The accident occurred on July 8, 2018. The helicopter impacted a two-story 10 unit condominium building located about 3 nautical miles north of Williamsburg-Jamestown Airport (KJGG), where the flight originated. The main wreckage came to rest inside the north end of the building, with some components including a section of the tail rotor drive shaft found along the 70-foot wreckage path extending from the building on a heading of about 20° magnetic, according to the NTSB's preliminary report.

FAA airman records show the the 85-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land, airplane multiengine land, instrument-airplane, and rotorcraft-helicopter. A review of his logbook revealed he had accumulated 5,693 total hours of flight experience, of which 1,919 hours were in rotorcraft, and of those, 545 hours were in the same make and model as the accident helicopter.

But Pathfinder Insurance sent a letter to the homeowners which said its investigation found that Schwartz' medical certificate had been revoked by the FAA in May 2017, more than a year before the accident occurred. Schwartz had been directed by the agency to surrender his medical certificate, but it is not known whether he had done so. According to Schwarz' caretaker, Theresa Monroe, the pilot had been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease five years earlier.

Schwartz reportedly lobbied the FAA to restore his medical, but he was again denied. Because he was not legally allowed to fly, Pathfinder Insurance said they had no obligation to pay the claims.

It's not all bad news for the homeowners. The president of the Homeowners Association Paul Leslie told residents this week that Nationwide Insurance would be giving the organization $1.5 million to rebuild the complex. However, no timeline has been established for the demolition of the burned-out building.

(Image from file)

FMI: Source report, NTSB Preliminary report