Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Houston, Texas 77201
Thursday, September 14, 1995 18:50 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that during cruise flight at 800 feet MSL, a 'whine' was heard, which was 'slightly' different from the normal whine of the engines. A loud 'snap' or 'bang' was heard followed by severe vibrations. After determining a dual engine failure, the number one engine fire warning light illuminated, and the smell of smoke was noticed. An autorotation was initiated to a mall parking lot. During the autorotation, the pilot increased collective to clear trees bordering the parking lot. The helicopter touched down and slid approximately 200 feet to a stop. When the nurse opened the door to evacuate, smoke billowed into the cabin from the 'tunnel area.' After confirming that the flight crew was well clear, the pilot exited the helicopter. Examination of the helicopter revealed the drive shaft for the left engine had separated from the transmission input shaft flange. Examination of the main transmission lower housing revealed debris partially blocking the oil channel for the left side input pinion. Examination of both engines revealed internal thermal and foreign object damage.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the failure of the main transmission's #1 (left) input pinion assembly, due to the partially blocked oil passage which reduced oil flow, resulting in the disconnect of the drive shaft.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/14/1995 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1850 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | HOUSTON |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 77201 |
| Event Date Year | 1995 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| 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 | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 250 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Light and Variable |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1498 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 14 1995 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1912 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 7 2000 4:35PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N650MS |
| NTSB Number | FTW95FA394 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | In-flight |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | MBB |
| Aircraft Model | BO-105C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | BO-105C |
| Aircraft Serial Number | S-650 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5512 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 23 1995 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 77 |
| Airframe Hours | 3635 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | AMERICAN EUROCOPTER |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2701 FORUM DRIVE |
| Aircraft Owner City | GRAND PRAIRIE |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 75051 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | HERMANN HOSPITAL LIFE FLIGHT |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 6411 FUNNIN |
| Operator City | HOUSTON |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 77030 |
| Operator Code | GVNA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| 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) | Positioning |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | TE11 |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1840 |
| 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 | 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 | Yes |
| Medical Flight | Medical Emergency |