Winter Haven's Gilbert Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Winter Haven, Florida 33880
Saturday, April 27, 1991 14:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON FINAL APCH AT 300 FT THE PLT BEGAN TO SLOW THE DESCENT & THE HELICOPTER YAWED TO THE RT. HE APPLIED LT ANTI-TORQUE PEDAL INPUT, HELD COLLECTIVE, APPLIED POWER, & NEUTRALIZED THE CYCLIC CONTROL BUT THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SPIN TO THE RT. HE INITIATED A HOVER WHILE SPINNING & AFTER OBSERVING A CLEARING, LOWERED COLLECTIVE, & REDUCED POWER. DURING THE DESCENT THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES COLLIDED WITH TREES. POST CRASH EXAM OF THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE PLT WAS NOT AUTHORIZED TO CARRY PASSENGERS IN THIS CLASS OF ACFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND IMPROPER USE OF THE COLLECTIVE AND CYCLIC FLIGHT CONTROLS AFTER THE LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS DURING THE APPROACH TO LAND. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN TYPE AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/27/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1445
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WINTER HAVEN
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33880
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WINTER HAVEN'S GILBERT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GIF
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 146
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 195
Weather Observation Facility ID BOW
Elevation of weather observation facility 128
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 448
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43734
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2193U
NTSB Number MIA91LA129
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 Brantly Helicopter
Aircraft Model B-2B
Aircraft Series Identifier B-2B
Aircraft Serial Number 404
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 Mar 24 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 647
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DANIEL CALLAHAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2030 COFFEE POT BLVD.
Aircraft Owner City ST. PETERSBURG
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33704
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DANIEL CALLAHAN
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2030 COFFEE POT BLVD.
Operator City ST. PETERSBURG
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33704
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 SPG
Departure City ST. PETERSBURG
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 29
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --