Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Penn's Landing Heliport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19147
Monday, July 28, 1997 6:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that he lifted the helicopter off the dolly, and as he air taxied, it became uncontrollable. During the subsequent landing, the helicopter rolled over on its right side. Both the pilot and passenger reported hearing a warning horn and seeing a light on the instrument panel illuminated. Additionally, the passenger heard and felt a rumble and thought the helicopter rotated nose left once or twice prior to touchdown. A check of the hydraulic system failed to reveal any failure or malfunction. An uncommanded loss of hydraulic pressure could not be induced. A check of SDRs revealed no previous uncommanded loss of hydraulic pressure. The checklist called for the three position engine throttle to be brought to the ON position after engine start. In a flight test conducted by the manufacturer, a takeoff was initiated with the throttle not advanced all they way to the ON position. Once airborne, a warning light illuminated on the instrument panel, the low rotor warning horn sounded, and a low rumble was felt and heard. The helicopter remained controllable, although increased movements were required for all controls.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
failure of the pilot to follow the checklist and verify the throttle was in the ON position before lift-off, which resulted in low rotor RPM and loss of control, while attempting to hover/taxi.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/28/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 630 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | PHILADELPHIA |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 19147 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | PENN'S LANDING HELIPORT |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | P72 |
| 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 | 15 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 654 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 241 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PHL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 22 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 6 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| 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) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 24 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 330 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1383 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 28 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 807 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N61TV |
| NTSB Number | NYC97LA154 |
| 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 | Aerospatiale |
| Aircraft Model | AS-350B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | AS-350B |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1228 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4300 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 14 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 30 |
| Airframe Hours | 6819 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | STERLING HELICOPTERS INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 711 COLUMBUS BLVD, PIER 36 S |
| Aircraft Owner City | PHILADELPHIA |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19147 |
| 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 | JQZA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| 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) | Aerial Observation |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | P72 |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 630 |
| 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 | Taxi |
| 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 | -- |