Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
Saturday, October 26, 1991 15:15 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT/CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS CONDUCTING TRAINING WITH A SECOND PILOT IN HELICOPTER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, THAT INCLUDED HYRAULICS OFF LANDINGS. ON THE THIRD LANDING WITHOUT HYRAULIC BOOST PRESSURE, AT AN AIRSPEED OF ABOUT 2 KNOTS AND A SKID HEIGHT OF ABOUT 1 FOOT, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN AN UNCOMMANDED TURN TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO COUNTER THE TURN BUT WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. THE HELICOPTER'S LEFT BANK ANGLE, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND LEFT TURN CONTINUED UNTIL THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE GROUND. THE LEFT FRONT PORTION OF THE FUSELAGE AND SKID TUBE THEN STRUCK THE GROUND. AN EXAMINATION OF THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM, INCLUDING DISASSEMBLY OF THE MAIN ROTOR CONTROL SERVOS, FAILED TO LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE MALFUNCTION. THIS IS THE SECOND RPTD HYD OFF FLT CONTROL SEIZURE THAT RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. THE FLT CREW OF BOTH HELICOPTERS WERE WELL QUALIFIED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN UNDETERMINED MALFUNCTION OF THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM IN WHICH THE SYSTEM WAS LOCKED, PREVENTING THE MOVEMENT OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS, AND LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/26/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1515
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City SCOTTSDALE
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85260
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 10
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1546 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 125
Weather Observation Facility ID SDL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1508
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2280
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46131
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:48AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9001S
NTSB Number LAX92FA025
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 AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model AS350B
Aircraft Series Identifier AS350B
Aircraft Serial Number 1022
Certified Max Gross Weight 4300
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 21 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours 6641
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARK A. BERLIN TRUSTEE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 555 MADISON AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City NEW YORK
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 10022
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LONE EAGLE AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7350 E. EVANS DR. #C112
Operator City SCOTTSDALE
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85260
Operator Code LNJA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SDL
Departure City SCOTTSDALE
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Hover
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 --