Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Natchitoches, Louisiana 71457
Tuesady, November 29, 1994 14:32 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT, THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO MECHANICAL REASONS. THE MAINTENANCE HISTORY REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE HAD EXPERIENCED A SERIES OF COMPRESSOR STALLS DURING THE LAST 132 HOURS OF FLIGHT. COMPANY MANAGEMENT ELECTED TO DEFER REQUIRED MAINTENANCE UNTIL THEIR 'BUSY SEASON WAS OVER.' THE METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT INTERGRANULAR CORROSION AND EROSION OF THE STATOR VANES COMBINED TO EFFECTIVELY WEAKEN THE INDIVIDUAL VANES STRUCTURALLY. A COMPRESSOR STALL WAS EXPERIENCED. THE PILOT PERFORMED AN AUTOROTATION AND DURING TOUCHDOWN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE DELAYED FLARE AND THE IMPROPER TOUCHDOWN BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. FACTORS WERE THE OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES BY THE OPERATOR AND THE PILOT, DELAYED MAINTENANCE, AND, AN ENGINE COMPRESSOR ASSEMBLY STALL, COMBINED WITH EROSION AND CORROSION OF THE STATOR VANES WHICH RESULTED IN A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/29/1994
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1432
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City NATCHITOCHES
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71457
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 11
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID SHV
Elevation of weather observation facility 258
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 90
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1830
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 29 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1828
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:37PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2183P
NTSB Number FTW95LA056
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B
Aircraft Serial Number 3470
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 15 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 100
Airframe Hours 7455
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2 MANHATTENVILLE RD.
Aircraft Owner City PURCHASE
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 10577
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 --