Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Essex Junction, Vermont 05452
Monday, December 14, 1998 16:44 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot and mechanic departed on a maintenance test flight after completing the installation of an overhauled engine. They performed ground engine runs and two short legs of the test flight. After each leg, the helicopter was shut down and the engine was checked for leaks. The pilot departed on the third leg after official sunset, and after climbing to approximately 1,700 feet, the pilot closed the throttle, then entered autorotation. The mechanic said the engine and rotor rpm decayed simultaneously and then the engine stopped running. During descent, the pilot attempted to restart the engine without success. The autorotation was terminated with a hard landing. Examination of the engine revealed no anomalies and it ran to rated power in a test cell. While operating at full rpm, the throttle was moved rapidly to the flight idle position. The engine exhibited a smooth reduction in rpm to the idle power setting with no interruption. An FAA Helicopter Handbook stated to begin an autorotation, the collective should be placed full down maintain cruise RPM with the throttle. Then decrease the throttle and adjust it to keep the engine RPM 'well above normal idling speed.'
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's improper entry into the autorotation, which resulted in the loss of power and a low rotor rpm condition. Also causal was the pilot's improper execution of the autorotation which resulted in the hard landing. Factors in the accident were the performance of the autorotation at dusk over rough terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/14/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1644 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | ESSEX JUNCTION |
| Event State | VERMONT |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 05452 |
| Event Date Year | 1998 |
| 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 | 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 | 1144 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 240 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BTV |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 334 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Dusk |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 3400 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -2 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 350 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| 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) | 1803 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 14 1998 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1915 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 2 2006 10:51AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8103J |
| NTSB Number | IAD99LA024 |
| 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 | Bell |
| Aircraft Model | 47-G5 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 47-G5 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 25001 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2600 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 14 1998 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 1 |
| Airframe Hours | 6143 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | RONALD R. LAMELL |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 82A JERICHO ROAD |
| Aircraft Owner City | ESSEX JUNCTION |
| Aircraft Owner State | VT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 05452 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | NONE |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1630 |
| 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 | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 2 2006 10:51AM |
| 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 | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |