Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Capitan, New Mexico 88316
Monday, April 7, 1997 8:15 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that while flying at an altitude of about 35 feet AGL and 30 knots, 'a slight shudder was felt in the helicopter as though a change of wind direction had occurred.' All instruments and systems 'remained in the green and functioning.' Several minutes later, a complete loss of engine power occurred. The pilot recalled hearing a 'strange noise' immediately preceding the loss of power. Subsequently, he initiated a low altitude auto rotation. Approximately 10 feet AGL, the helicopter began to turn to the left, and 'in order to avoid a roll over,' the pilot lowered the collective and informed the passenger of an immanent hard landing. During contact with the ground, the main rotor contacted and severed the tail boom. Immediately following the hard landing, a fire started in the engine compartment. Both the pilot and passenger evacuated, and the helicopter was consumed by fire. Examination of the wreckage to discover the cause of the loss of engine power was unsuccessful due to extreme fire damage to the engine, fuel system, and accessories. The ambient temperature and dew point were conducive to carburetor icing.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s).
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/7/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 815 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | CAPITAN |
| Event State | NEW MEXICO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 88316 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| 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 | 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 | Clear |
| 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) | 7 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| 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 | 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 63 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 7 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1139 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:13PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N74HL |
| NTSB Number | FTW97TA154 |
| 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 | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Bell |
| Aircraft Model | TH-13T |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | TH-13T |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3652 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 2 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 2 |
| Airframe Hours | 5558 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | DESERT EAGLE HELICOPTERS INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1602 24TH STREET |
| Aircraft Owner City | ALAMOGORDO |
| Aircraft Owner State | NM |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 88310 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | U.S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 12345 W. ALAMEDA SUITE 204 |
| Operator City | LAKEWOOD |
| Operator State | CO |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 80228 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | NONE |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 730 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| 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 | Emergency landing |
| 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 | -- |