KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report on the August 3, 2020 fatal helicopter crash at Fort Loudoun Lake on the Tennessee River that killed Knoxville businessman Joe Clayton.
The helicopter crashed into the river near the Sequoyah Hills neighborhood, killing Joe Clayton. He helped found Clayton Homes and Clayton Automobiles. Three others survived, including his brother Jim Clayton.
The wreckage was recovered two days later on August 5. Crews pulled the aircraft weighing almost 3,000 pounds up from roughly 40 feet down.
The NTSB's findings show the EC-130-B4 helicopter had refueled at McGhee Tyson Airport on August 3 around 6:30 p.m. At around 7:40, the pilot circled right over the river toward the landing site at his property near the river's edge.
The NTSB said the pilot descended at low power at a 25 degree angle to slowly come to a hover 75 feet over the water. When he tried to add power again to stop the descent, the report said the helicopter "started to settle" and he went to max power to try and stop that.
At that point, the report said the helicopter continued dropping toward the water before the left skid touched the river and the rotor hit it -- torquing the helicopter into the water.
Authorities say Jim Clayton, who also was a pilot, grandson Flynt Griffin along with developer and arts supporter Jay McBride were able to swim to help after the chopper went down.
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector said the helicopter was about 435 feet from the landing site. Wreckage recovered revealed a large hole in the left side of the windshield, the left door broken out, and damage to all of the rotor blades from water impact. The tail rotor had also separated.