Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Gallipolis, Ohio 45631
Thursday, August 12, 1993 12:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A PINNACLE TAKEOFF FROM A GRASSY KNOLL. DURING THE TAKEOFF, HE ENCOUNTERED A LOW ROTOR RPM CONDITION IN WHICH THE ENGINE RPM AND MAIN ROTOR RPM DECREASED TOGETHER. THE PILOT SAID HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE; HOWEVER, HE WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER THE MAIN ROTOR RPM IN TIME TO PREVENT A FORCED LANDING. HE MADE A RUN ON LANDING IN A GRASSY AREA AND THE MAIN ROTOR AND TAIL ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE GROUND. THE PASSENGER EXITED THE HELICOPTER WHILE THE MAIN ROTOR WAS STILL TURNING AND HE WAS STRUCK IN THE HEAD BY A BLADE. ACCORDING TO THE FAA BASIC HELICOPTER HANDBOOK, A CONDITION OF LOW ROTOR CAN BE CORRECTED BY REDUCING THE COLLECTIVE WHICH WILL DECREASE THE DRAG ON THE ROTOR, AND THEREFORE, INCREASE THE RPM. ACCORDING TO THE HELICOPTER MANUFACTURER, ONCE THE RPM DROPS BELOW THE NORMAL OPERATING RANGE IT COULD TAKE SEVERAL SECONDS FOR THE RPM TO RECOVER TO THE NORMAL OPERATING RANGE.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper use of the collective and throttle which resulted in a low rotor rpm condition and a loss of control, and an inflight collision with the terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/12/1993 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1230 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | GALLIPOLIS |
| Event State | OHIO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 45631 |
| Event Date Year | 1993 |
| 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 | 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 | 4000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Unknown |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 6 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 30 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 330 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1814 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 12 1993 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1530 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 11 2000 1:35PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N51786 |
| NTSB Number | NYC93GA151 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | ENSTROM |
| Aircraft Model | F-28C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | F-28C |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 450 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2350 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 11 1993 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 7 |
| Airframe Hours | 1324 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | NEW HORIZONS HELICOPTERS |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 8561 PLAINFIELD LANE |
| Aircraft Owner City | CINCINNATI |
| Aircraft Owner State | OH |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 45236 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | STATE OF OHIO, BCII |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 1580 ST. ROUTE 56 |
| Operator City | LONDON |
| Operator State | OH |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 43140 |
| 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) | Public Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1140 |
| 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 | Takeoff |
| 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 | -- |