Weiser Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houston, Texas 77056
Monday, August 21, 1995 9:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE OWNER OF THE HELICOPTER WAS NOT RATED IN ROTORCRAFT. HE AND A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WENT ON A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WITH BOTH DOORS REMOVED FROM THE HELICOPTER. AT THE END OF THE FLIGHT, THE OWNER HOVERED TO A CONCRETE PAD IN FRONT OF THE HANGAR AND LANDED. MODERATE RAIN WAS FALLING AS THE OWNER REACHED FOR THE CHECKLIST TO SHUTDOWN THE ENGINE. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOLD HIM NOT TO SHUTDOWN THE ENGINE, AS HE WOULD TAXI THE HELICOPTER INSIDE THE HANGAR (TO AVOID GETTING WET). THE OWNER SAID 'NO' AND STATED THAT IT WOULD TAKE ONLY 'A MINUTE' FOR HIM TO GET THE HELICOPTER DOORS AND INSTALL THEM. HOWEVER, DESPITE THE OWNER'S OBJECTION, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK THE CONTROLS AND BEGAN TO HOVER TAXI THE HELICOPTER INTO THE HANGAR WITH THE SKIDS CLOSE TO THE GROUND. THE OWNER STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS INSIDE THE HANGAR WHEN HE 'FELT A GUST OR SLIGHT UPDRAFT.' AT THAT TIME, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES IMPACTED THE TOP STRUCTURE OF THE HANGAR, DESTROYING ALL 3 MAIN ROTOR BLADES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S POOR JUDGEMENT, AND HIS DISREGARD OF THE OWNER'S OBJECTION TO AIR TAXI INTO THE HANGAR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/21/1995
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 940
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HOUSTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77056
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WEISER AIRPARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EYQ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 140
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 673
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 22 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N911BT
NTSB Number FTW95LA356
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ENSTROM
Aircraft Model 280C
Aircraft Series Identifier 280C
Aircraft Serial Number 5711
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 30 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 130
Airframe Hours 130
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name R.D. HUFFMAN / VAN L. DAVIDSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6003 CHARLES TOWN COLONY CT.
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77084
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code EYQ
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 910
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Hover
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 3400
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --