Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Horseshoe Bend, Missouri 65065
Sunday, April 16, 1995 17:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

UPON LANDING AT HIS PRIVATE HELIPAD THE PILOT TIED DOWN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES IN A MANNER DIFFERENT THAN USUAL. DURING HIS PREFLIGHT FOR DEPARTURE, HE UNTIED THE SKIDS BUT FORGOT TO UNTIE THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. HE STARTED THE ENGINE WITH THE BLADES TIED DOWN. ONE BLADE BROKE 3 FEET FROM THE PIVOT ATTACHMENT AND THE HELICOPTER SWUNG AROUND 90 DEGREES ON THE HELIPAD. THE TAILBOOM AND FUSELAGE WERE ALSO DAMAGED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to untie the main rotor tie-down strap prior to starting the helicopter.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/16/1995
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HORSESHOE BEND
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 65065
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 4
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 1654 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID AIZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 869
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4100
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 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) 353
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 17 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1325
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N729CH
NTSB Number CHI95LA125
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B
Aircraft Serial Number 4240
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 65
Airframe Hours 835
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HEIZER AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1220 TOPPING ROAD
Aircraft Owner City ST. LOUIS
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63131
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City ST LOUIS
Destination State MO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Standing
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 --