Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee 38474
Wednesday, May 6, 1992 16:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD NOTIFIED JACKSON AUTOMATED FLIGHT SERVICE STATION OF HIS INTENTION TO FLY FROM JACKSON, TN, TO TULLAHOMA, TN, AT 3000' MSL. ALONG THE ROUTE NEAR MOUNT PLEASANT, WITNESSES HEARD A LOUD BANG. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, WRECKAGE FROM THE HELICOPTER WAS FOUND SCATTERED OVER A 1500' PASTURE AREA. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT A MAIN ROTOR BLADE HAD DIVERGED FROM ITS NORMAL PLANE OF ROTATION & STRUCK THE LEFT DOOR FRAME IN-FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. ABOUT 35 MILES NORTH-NORTHEAST AT NASHVILLE, THE 1647 CDT SURFACE WIND WAS REPORTED TO BE FROM 010 DEGREES AT 10 GUSTING 21 KNOTS; WINDS ALOFT AT 3000' WERE REPORTED AS 22 KNOTS. DARK CLOUDS WERE REPORTED NORTHWEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION PRIOR TO THE IN-FLIGHT STRIKE OF THE AIRFRAME.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A DIVERGENCE OF THE MAIN ROTOR FROM ITS NORMAL PLANE OF ROTATION FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON, WHICH RESULTED IN ROTOR CONTACT TO THE COCKPIT AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/6/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MT. PLEASANT
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38474
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 5
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1647 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID BNA
Elevation of weather observation facility 581
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 21
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 600
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2346
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47058
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N191KC
NTSB Number ATL92FA096
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R-22 BETA
Aircraft Series Identifier R-22 BETA
Aircraft Serial Number 1818
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 2 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 469
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KANSAS COPTER & WINGS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4800 W. BEECH DR. SUITE #8
Aircraft Owner City AUGUSTA
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67010
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KANSAS COPTER & WINGS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 4800 W. BEECH DR. SUITE #8
Operator City AUGUSTA
Operator State KS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 67010
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MKL
Departure City JACKSON
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1515
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RDU
Destination City RALEIGH
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --