Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Immokalee, Florida 33934
Tuesady, August 15, 1995 17:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated he was in cruise flight at 500 feet agl when he observed the engine oil temperature gage just short of the red line. A short time later he heard a noise described as a 'pop'. He entered a power-on autorotaton to make a precautionary landing straight ahead to an open area, and planned to terminate at a hover. The engine out warning light was not illuminated, the engine out audio did not activate, and the remaining engine instruments appeared to be normal. The pilot initiated a deceleration at 50 to 60 feet, applied initial collective pitch at about 15 feet while increasing power and leveling the helicopter. The landing area was unsuitable and the N2 was observed decreasing. He applied aft cyclic, and the ventral fin collided with the ground. The helicopter rocked forward and the main rotor blades collided with the tailboom. Examination of the helicopter revealed a red shop rag was caught in the oil cooler fan. A rigging check was conducted and no deficiencies were noted. The engine was removed and placed in an engine test cell. The engine started, run at ground idle, and accelerated to takeoff power.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper use of the cyclic during a power-on autorotative landing (low flare), resulting in the ventral fin colliding with the ground.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/15/1995
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City IMMOKALEE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33934
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
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 1647 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID RSW
Elevation of weather observation facility 31
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
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) 36
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 536
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 16 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 801
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:31PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N193JB
NTSB Number MIA95LA205
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 BELL
Aircraft Model 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B
Aircraft Serial Number 4018
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 Jun 1 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 64
Airframe Hours 20249
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HUEBNER AVIATION INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 15410 OLD STATE ROAD 4A
Aircraft Owner City SUMMERLAND KEY
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33042
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 No
Departure Airport Code OPF
Departure City OPA LOCKA
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FMY
Destination City FORT MYERS
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --