Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Chowchilla, California 93610
Friday, February 3, 1995 11:15 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
THE PILOT WAS APPLYING CHEMICALS TO A FIELD AT A SLOW AIRSPEED ABOUT 10 FEET OFF THE GROUND. A SEVERE VIBRATION STARTED THROUGH THE AIRFRAME, AND THE PILOT DECIDED TO LAND IMMEDIATELY. THE PILOT WAS TURNING TO A LANDING AREA WHEN THE VIBRATION SUDDENLY CEASED, THE HELICOPTER FELL TO THE GROUND ON ITS NOSE, AND ROLLED OVER ONTO ITS TOP. ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE AND HALF THE HUB WERE FOUND MORE THAN 100 YARDS FROM THE HELICOPTER. THE SECOND BLADE WAS FOUND ATTACHED TO THE REMAINDER OF THE HUB, ABOUT 150 FEET FROM THE WRECKAGE. THE TWO PIECES OF THE FRACTURED AND SEPARATED MAIN ROTOR HUB WERE RECOVERED AND METALLURGICALLY EXAMINED. THE HUB SEPARATED DUE TO A FRACTURE THROUGH ITS CENTER. THE EXAMINATIONS DISCLOSED THAT THE FRACTURE THROUGH THE HUB CENTER STEMMED FROM FATIGUE CRACKS WHICH INITIATED FROM THE TENSION-TORSION PIN HOLE ON THE LEADING EDGE SIDE OF ONE HUB ARM. THE ORIGIN POINT OF THE FATIGUE CRACK WAS DETERMINED TO BE INSIDE THE TT PIN HOLE AND EXHIBITED CORROSION DEPOSITS TYPICALLY SEEN IN ALUMINUM ALLOYS. THE CRACK WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN VISIBLE DURING AN EXTERNAL INSPECTION. THE FATIGUE CRACK AND FRACTURE ARE IN AREAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECURRING INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS OF AD 73-20-03.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the in-flight failure and separation of the main rotor hub due to a fatigue crack.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/3/1995 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1115 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | CHOWCHILLA |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 93610 |
| Event Date Year | 1995 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | 0 |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 0 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | |
| Lighting Conditions | Not Reported |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 800 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 3 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 12 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 305 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 3 1995 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1245 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 7 2000 4:03PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9293Z |
| NTSB Number | LAX95LA096 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 137: Agricultural |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | HILLER |
| Aircraft Model | UH-12E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | UH-12E |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1548 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2750 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 10 1995 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 78 |
| Airframe Hours | 3028 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | RANDY TESTMAN |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. BOX 826 |
| Aircraft Owner City | MENTONE |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 92359 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | STEPHEN R. STREETER |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 3240 ARBOLEDA |
| Operator City | MERCED |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 95340 |
| Operator Code | ROHG |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Agriculture |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | Unknown |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Unknown |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Unknown |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Aerial Application |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 206 |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1045 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| 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 | Maneuvering |
| 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 | -- |