Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lewisville, Texas 75056
Tuesady, September 17, 1991 17:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A DAY FERRY FLIGHT, THE PRIVATE PILOT EXPERIENCED BINDING OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AND LANDED THE HELICOPTER ON A LAKE. AFTER MOVING THE CONTROLS WHILE FLOATING ON THE SURFACE, THE BINDING WENT AWAY. AFTER HE TOOK OFF AGAIN, THE CONTROLS WOULD NOT RESPOND TO INPUTS AND BOUND UP. THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL AND IMPACTED THE WATER. EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER REVEALED NUMEROUS PIECES OF HARDWARE, WASHERS, NUTS, AND COTTER KEYS ON THE DECK IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE TRANSMISSION AND BELOW THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. THE HELICOPTER HAD A TOTAL OF 20 HOURS SINCE NEW. NO SUBSEQUENT MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN PERFORMED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE INDUCED BINDING FLIGHT CONTROLS. A FACTOR WAS IMPROPER MAINTENANCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/17/1991
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City LEWISVILLE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75056
Event Date Year 1991
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 Witness
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 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1000
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) 13
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1241
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44367
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2306C
NTSB Number FTW91LA162
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 R22
Aircraft Series Identifier R22
Aircraft Serial Number 1935M
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AIRSWELL, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2615 LANTANA ROAD
Operator City PALM BEACH
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33402
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FTW
Departure City FORT WORTH
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ADS
Destination City DALLAS
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 --