Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
San Carlos Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
San Carlos, California 94070
Sunday, March 31, 1996 13:47 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to FAA airman records, the pilot did not hold a rotorcraft category rating. FAA inspectors examined the pilot's logbook and reported that he received a solo endorsement in helicopters about 1 1/2 years ago. The pilot was returning to the airport following a local area flight. About 1 mile west of the airport, the pilot began to smell something burning and said he sensed something was wrong. Shortly thereafter, he heard a 'slap' sound as the helicopter transitioned through 50 feet and 50 knots about 1/4 mile from the runway. The pilot stated that he 'didn't do anything [with the controls] but keep it headed for an open area between the taxiway and the runway.' The pilot said he did not flare or touch the collective, and the helicopter hit hard in the open area and rolled on its left side. An FAA airworthiness inspector examined the helicopter and found the engine to transmission drive belt fragmented, with rubber transfer throughout the engine compartment. Rubber transfer on the pulleys showed a forward movement pattern of the belt off the pulley. The inspector reported that the pulley was designed without a flange or other means to keep the belt aligned.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's failure to recognize a drive train disengagement and initiate an autorotation. The inadequate engine-to-transmission drive belt/pulley design, and the pilot's limited training and experience in rotorcraft operations were factors in this accident.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/31/1996 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1347 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | SAN CARLOS |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 94070 |
| Event Date Year | 1996 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | SAN CARLOS |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SQL |
| 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 | 2 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1345 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SQL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 15000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 7500 |
| 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) | 30 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 25 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| 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 | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 732 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 31 1996 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1358 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 9:54AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N750GL |
| NTSB Number | LAX96LA150 |
| 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 | LAMPERT |
| Aircraft Model | REVOLUTION M500 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | REVOLUTION |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0062 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 860 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 25 1996 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 70 |
| Airframe Hours | 70 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | GARY M. LAMPERT |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 231 STOCKBRIDGE AVENUE |
| Aircraft Owner City | ATHERTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 94027 |
| 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 | HAF |
| Departure City | HALF MOON BAY |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1315 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | SQL |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| 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 | -- |