Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Springtown, Texas 76082
Friday, February 26, 1999 9:10 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While at cruise altitude, the helicopter's engine began to surge. The pilot initiated an autorotation to an open field. During the downwind forced landing, the skids dug into the ground, and the helicopter nosed over and came to rest on its left side. An examination of the engine revealed that the P3 air pipe, which supplies air to the fuel control, was broken close to the fitting on the combustion chamber casing. Examination of the P3 pipe revealed that its fracture was 'consecutive to the propagation of a fatigue fissure,' as a result of the pipe being 'subjected to an excessive vibratory excitation.' Engine vibration tests were conducted and two main excitation sources were identified. The two sources were the starter-generator and the breather gear assembly. The proposed solution to correct for this vibration consists of fitting an attachment clamp at mid-length of the P3 pipe, 'which moves the natural frequencies out of engine power ratings.'
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The improper touchdown executed by the pilot. Factors were the tail wind condition, and the manufacturer's inadequate design of the P3 pipe supports, which resulted in a fatigue fracture of the P3 pipe.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/26/1999 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 910 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | SPRINGTOWN |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 76082 |
| Event Date Year | 1999 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 953 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 40 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | AFW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 722 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 19 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 2200 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1200 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1070 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 26 1999 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 930 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 12 2000 11:20AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N122TH |
| NTSB Number | FTW99LA085 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Eurocopter |
| Aircraft Model | COLIBRI EC120B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | COLIBRI EC |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1017 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3700 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 5 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 20 1999 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 14 |
| Airframe Hours | 22 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | AMERICAN EUROCOPTER CORP. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | |
| Aircraft Owner City | |
| Aircraft Owner State | |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 2701 FORUM DR. |
| Operator City | GRAND PRAIRIE |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 75052 |
| Operator Code | |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Business |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | GPM |
| Departure City | GRAND PRAIRIE |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 845 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | TDW |
| Destination City | AMARILLO |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2001 10:34AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 0 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |