Douglas Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Charlotte, North Carolina 28208
Wednesday, December 11, 1991 21:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PLT FAILED TO MAINTAIN TAIL BOOM STINGER GROUND CLEARANCE WHILE HOVERING TO LAND. DURING AN AFT MOVEMENT THE STINGER CONTACTED THE GROUND. TAILROTOR AND GEARBOX SEPARATED AND PLT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A HARD LANDING WAS MADE. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMANDS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN TAILROTOR GROUND CLEARANCE WHILE HOVERING RESULTING IN THE TAIL STRIKING THE GROUND AND THE SUBSEQUENT SEPARATION OF THE TAILROTOR AND GEARBOX.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/11/1991
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2145
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City CHARLOTTE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28208
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DOUGLAS MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CLT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 90
Airport Elevation 749
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2150 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID CLT
Elevation of weather observation facility 749
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1762
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45640
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:54AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N206CM
NTSB Number MIA92LA042
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 BELL
Aircraft Model 206L-3
Aircraft Series Identifier 206L-3
Aircraft Serial Number 51006
Certified Max Gross Weight 4150
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 AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4250
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TEXTRON FINANCIAL CORPORATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9001 AIRPORT FREEWAY
Aircraft Owner City FT. WORTH
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76180
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name OMNI FLIGHT HELICOPTERS INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7589 ADDISON ROAD
Operator City DALLAS
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75248
Operator Code RMXA
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2140
Departure Time Zone EST
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 Hover
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 --