Tampa International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tampa, Florida 33602
Saturday, July 6, 1996 23:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Ten minutes into the flight, the pilot noticed a loss of engine oil pressure and a high engine oil temperature. The engine lost power, and the pilot entered an autorotation for a forced landing. The helicopter collided with high tension wires and fell to the ground. The examination of the helicopter disclosed that the engine oil pressure screen housing was loose. The Director of Aircraft Maintenance stated that on 7/05/96 a 50-hour inspection had been completed on the helicopter which included an oil change and the removal of the oil pressure screen housing for an inspection. Maintenance personnel noticed that a small puddle of oil on the ramp at the spot where the aircraft initiated the departure.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of maintenance personnel to secure the engine oil screen housing during the 50-hour inspection.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/6/1996
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2300
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City TAMPA
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33602
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TAMPA INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TPA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 12
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1056 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID TPA
Elevation of weather observation facility 8
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1500
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1402
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 8 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:11AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N10TP
NTSB Number ATL96TA102
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Hughes
Aircraft Model 269B
Aircraft Series Identifier 269B
Aircraft Serial Number 480688
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 Apr 11 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 72
Airframe Hours 7576
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TAMPA POLICE DEPARTMENT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1710 TAMPA ST.
Aircraft Owner City TAMPA
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33602
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) Public Use
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code TPA
Departure City TAMPA
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 2050
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 7000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --