Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Murraysville, Pennsylvania 15668
Tuesady, April 27, 1993 19:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NEWLY CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT (ROTORCRAFT) WAS MAKING AN OFF AIRPORT HIGH APPROACH TO A PINNACLE WHEN HE EXPERIENCED LOW ROTOR RPM TWICE. THE FIRST TIME HE WAS ABLE TO RECOVER RPM, HOWEVER, HE WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER RPM THE SECOND TIME, AND MADE A HARD LANDING AND ROLLED OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE POWERPLANT AND DRIVE SYSTEM BY AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR, 'FOUND NO REASON WHY THEY SHOULD NOT FUNCTION NORMALLY.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING AND ROLLOVER. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL HELICOPTER EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/27/1993
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1950
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MURRAYSVILLE
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15668
Event Date Year 1993
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1950 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 245
Weather Observation Facility ID AGC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1252
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 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) 148
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 27 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2040
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50495
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2618Z
NTSB Number NYC93LA093
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 ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R22B
Aircraft Series Identifier R22B
Aircraft Serial Number 0721
Certified Max Gross Weight 1370
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 3 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 39
Airframe Hours 3861
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIRBURST HELICOPTERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 624 ARKWOOD DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City BETHEL PARK
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15102
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AIRBURST HELICOPTERS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 624 ARKWOOD DRIVE
Operator City BETHEL PARK
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 15102
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 No
Departure Airport Code AGC
Departure City WEST MIFFLIN
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1925
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code AGC
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight 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 --