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Wealthy New York businessman Gary Johnson dies after his helicopter crashed - as shocking reason for aircraft malfunction is revealed
A New York businessman has been killed in a helicopter crash after wasps built a nest in the gas tank vent, causing the engine to 'sputter' and plummet from the sky.
Gary Johnson, 65, from Carthage, was at the controls of his private Schweizer 269C helicopter when disaster struck just 15 minutes into his flight on July 27.
The crash occurred at around 11:15 am, leaving Johnson seriously injured. He was taken to Carthage Area Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Investigators identified the culprit as a nest built by mud dauber wasps inside the chopper's gas tank vent tube.
The wasps caused his helicopter to 'sputter' and fall out of the sky - killing Johnson.
Gary Johnson, 65, from Carthage was at the controls of his private Schweizer 269C helicopter when disaster struck just 15 minutes into his flight on July 27
The chopper plunged into a marsh from 50 feet in the air - crashing behind a commercial property he was developing, about 70 miles northeast of Syracuse.
A neighbor in West Carthage, New York, witnessed the horrifying moment.
They told investigators that Johnson was hovering about 50 feet over the site when the craft's engine began to 'sputter.'
The National Transportation Safety Board's report, released on August 2, said that while 11 gallons of fuel were found in the tank, it 'flowed sporadically...consistent with a lack of venting.'
NTSB Investigator in Charge Robert Gretz wrote' 'After all the fuel was drained, the metal fuel vent tube was examined with a borescope and a blockage was observed in the tube,' as reported by HNGN.
'The vent tube was then removed from the tank and the debris was removed using compressed air and a metal wire. The debris was consistent with a mud dauber nest,' he added.
The blockage was later confirmed to be 'consistent with a mud dauber nest.'
Investigators identified the culprit as a nest built by mud dauber wasps inside the chopper's gas tank vent tube
Johnson hadn't flown his Schweizer 269C helicopter for three weeks prior to the fatal crash, his brother told investigators.
Mud daubers, dark-colored wasps known for building nests in unused machinery, had taken advantage of the helicopter's three-week hiatus.
Johnson, a prominent local figure, owned and operated a gas station and auto-repair shop in Carthage since 1976.
He also owned several rental properties and was in the midst of remodeling the Sahara Restaurant in Wilna with his daughter.
'Gary Richard Johnson, 65, a beloved son, brother, father, grandfather, uncle and friend passed unexpectedly on Saturday, July 27th, 2024, doing what he loved, flying his helicopter,' his obituary wrote.