A Manatee County mosquito control helicopter was traveling approximately 92 mph when it struck an unlit radio tower during a nighttime spraying operation near Myakka City on October 15, according to a newly released preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The crash killed 63-year-old Isaac Ike Moore, an experienced pilot with the Manatee County Mosquito Control District. Investigators determined that the Bell 407 helicopter struck a 150-foot amateur radio tower approximately 130 feet above the ground around 8:51 p.m.
According to the report, three unlit radio towers measuring 50, 100, and 150 feet were located near the crash site. The helicopter was equipped with a GPS-based navigation system known as Tabula, which assisted pilots with spraying routes and displayed nearby obstacles.
The system was designed to provide a red visual warning when an obstacle appeared in the helicopter’s flight path. However, it did not provide audible alerts or indicate an obstacle’s height relative to the helicopter’s altitude. Investigators noted that the mosquito control district had manually entered the 100- and 150-foot towers into the system’s obstacle database.
Flight records show Moore departed a heliport in Ellenton around 6:47 p.m. and began spraying shortly after 7 p.m. During the mission, he deviated from his assigned route, made several turns, and eventually returned to his original flight path.
The helicopter was traveling east at approximately 80 knots, or 92 mph, when it struck the tower, causing most of the structure to collapse.
Investigators also determined that Moore had conducted spraying operations in the area approximately five times earlier in 2026.
A second mosquito control helicopter was operating nearby that evening. Communications between the pilots had been normal before the crash. When personnel monitoring Moore’s flight noticed his helicopter had stopped moving, they asked the other pilot to investigate.
A nearby property owner reported hearing the crash and discovering the helicopter engulfed in flames. The property owner and a neighbor pulled Moore from the wreckage before emergency responders arrived. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Moore had more than 25 years of helicopter flying experience and approximately 10,000 flight hours. Before joining the mosquito control district, he served more than 32 years with the Columbus Division of Police in Ohio.
The NTSB’s preliminary findings provide additional information about the helicopter’s movements, navigation equipment, and conditions surrounding the collision. However, investigators have not determined the probable cause of the crash.
The federal investigation remains ongoing, with a final report expected to take approximately one to two years to complete.