Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Spencer, Iowa 51301
Thursday, August 20, 1998 21:14 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The helicopter experienced an in-flight break-up when it was traveling at about 130 knots at 960 feet above the ground. The wreckage path was on a 090 heading between 0.8 to 1.2 miles west of the Spencer, Iowa, airport. Examination of the swashplate outer ring pins revealed a bending fatigue fracture occurred in the 'white' pin. The fatigue cracking originated in the undercut fillet radius adjacent to the head of the pin. The 'white' and 'red' bores and the 'red' pin (The white pin was not located) were checked for proper dimensions. The examination indicated an insufficient interference fit between the outer swashplate bores and the outer diameter of the swashplate ring pins.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The below standard (loose) fit of the 'white' swashplate outer ring pin resulting in fatigue and subsequent separation of the pin, and ultimately the in-flight breakup of the rotorcraft. A factor was the manufacturer's dissemination of the pin which did not meet dimensional standards.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/20/1998
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2114
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SPENCER
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 51301
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 8
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 2053 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID SPW
Elevation of weather observation facility 1339
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 8500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2257
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1396
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 20 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 2 2009 1:21PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N30SV
NTSB Number CHI98FA323
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bell
Aircraft Model 222
Aircraft Series Identifier 222
Aircraft Serial Number 47044
Certified Max Gross Weight 7850
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 4
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Aug 17 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 3251
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOLDINGS
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1337
Aircraft Owner City PROVO
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84603
Operator is an individual? No
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 USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code R7MA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 1SD9
Departure City SIOUX FALLS
Departure State SD
Departure Country
Departure Time 2039
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 1IA3
Destination City
Destination State IA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 2 2009 1:21PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight Yes
Medical Flight --