Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Oakwood, Ohio 45873
Saturday, June 1, 1996 21:00 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that while he maneuvered during the approach to land, the helicopter experienced a total loss of engine power. When the power loss occurred, he '...nosed down and put the collective down...' to enter autorotation. He '...picked a spot [for landing] ... looked at the rotor RPM (RRPM), it was 320... [and] at 60 to 80 feet I pulled collective...' to begin deceleration. The helicopter struck the ground with a forward speed of 30 MPH with the tail skid striking the ground prior to the main gear. According to the pilot, the normal operating range for RRPM is 400-472 and that 400 RRPM was minimum for autorotation. The pilot did not possess a helicopter rating, but had received 5 to 6 hours of instruction in helicopters. He reported that he had flown 28 hours within the preceding six months, including 3 hours in the accident aircraft. Postaccident examination revealed that the fuel tank vent tube assembly was clogged with '...insect and nest remains... .' The most recent documented 100-hour maintenance inspection of the helicopter occurred on 5/18/70.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
a loss of engine power due to inadequate maintenance and inspection by the owner/operator which failed to detect the clogged fuel vent line, and the pilot's improper autorotation. A related factor was the pilot's inadequate training/familiarization with helicopter emergency procedures.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/1/1996 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 2100 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | OAKWOOD |
| Event State | OHIO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 45873 |
| Event Date Year | 1996 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| 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 | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2050 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 100 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FDY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 812 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 33 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Bright |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 25000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 15 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 120 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 481 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 1 1996 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2246 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 10:04AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2261U |
| NTSB Number | IAD96LA088 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Brantly Helicopter |
| Aircraft Model | B2B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | B2B |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 423 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1670 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 18 1970 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 53 |
| Airframe Hours | 640 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | C. W. BRIGHT |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 732 SOUTH CHURCH ROAD |
| Aircraft Owner City | NEW LEBANON |
| Aircraft Owner State | OH |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 45345 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | RICK DOBBELAERE |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 10909 RD 163 |
| Operator City | OAKWOOD |
| Operator State | OH |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 45873 |
| 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 | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| 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 | -- |