Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sapahwa Peru
Sunday, December 29, 1996 6:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On December 29, 1996, about 0645 eastern standard time, an Aerospatiale SA-315B, N9151A, registered to Petroleum Helicopters, Inc., crashed during takeoff from a landing pad at Sapahwa, Peru, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 maintenance test flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the airline transport-rated pilot was not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The operator stated the aft tailrotor control cable was replaced the night before the accident, and the accident flight was to be an operational check of the newly installed cable. As the pilot increased collective to bring the helicopter to a hover, it began to spin to the right. The tail rotor struck the landing platform and the helicopter went off the platform and landed on the ground causing landing gear damage. Postcrash examination showed no evidence of control malfunction. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Peru. Any further information may be obtained from: Direccion General de Aviacion Civil Lima, Peru Telephone: 511-433-3166 This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained for the Government of Peru.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/29/1996
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 645
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City SAPAHWA
Event State --
Event Country PERU
Zipcode of the event site 00000
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 12
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 Unknown
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 Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 7000
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 30 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9151A
NTSB Number MIA97WA060
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 Unknown
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Aerospatiale
Aircraft Model SA-315B
Aircraft Series Identifier SA-315B
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address AVE. BARRENECHEA 145
Operator City LIMA
Operator State OF
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 00000
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
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 Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 3 2001 9:58AM
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 --