Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Long Beach, Mississippi 39560
Tuesady, September 1, 1992 10:28 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER LOWERING COLLECTIVE CONTROL TO PERFORM A SIMULATED AUTOROTATIVE LANDING WITH FULL THROTTLE APPLIED, THE CFI OBSERVED THAT THE ENG RPM DROPPED TO ZERO & THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE GAUGE INDICATED 30 INCHES. DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT AT AN ALTITUDE OF 100 FEET, HE OBSERVED POWER LINES AHEAD. HE PULLED COLLECTIVE CONTROL & CLEARED THE LINES BUT THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD RT SKID LOW. THE RT SKID BROKE & THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ON ITS RIGHT SIDE & CAME TO REST. THE HELICOPTER WAS RECOVERED & TAKEN TO THE OPERATOR'S FACILITY FOR EXAM. THE FUEL SYS WAS CHECKED FOR CONTAMINANTS; NONE WERE FOUND. FUEL QUANTITY WAS SUFFICIENT TO SUSTAIN ENG OPERATION. THE ENG WAS STARTED & FOUND TO OPERATE NORMALLY. NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO THE REASON FOR THE REPORTED LOSS OF ENG POWER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER COLLECTIVE AND CYCLIC CONTROL INPUT BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND DURING THE FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/1/1992
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1028
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City LONG BEACH
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 39560
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 9
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 Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2863
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 1 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47707
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:19PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9460F
NTSB Number MIA92LA170
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 HUGHES
Aircraft Model 269B
Aircraft Series Identifier 269B
Aircraft Serial Number 360242
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 Nov 1 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 44
Airframe Hours 2065
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GULFPORT HELICOPTERS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1408
Aircraft Owner City GULFPORT
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 39501
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name VORTEX HELICOPTERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4720 HEWES AVE. SUITE 203
Operator City GULFPORT
Operator State MS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 39507
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 GPT
Departure City GULFPORT
Departure State MS
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --