Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Valparaiso, Indiana 46383
Saturday, August 19, 2000 13:24 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During cruise flight the main rotor mast fractured and the main rotor separated from the helicopter. Witnesses to the accident reported seeing the helicopter falling to the ground in multiple sections. The aft 7.5 feet of tailboom, including the tail rotor gearbox, was located 220 feet from the main wreckage. The main rotor hub and blades were located 146 feet from the main wreckage. The main rotor blades remained attached to the rotor hub assembly. The main rotor mast was fractured approximately 6 inches below the rotor hub assembly. The fracture was transverse to the longitudinal direction of the mast. The interior diameter of the main rotor mast was corroded and had several areas of surface pitting. According to the NTSB Materials Laboratory Factual Report, the main rotor mast contained a "flat" crack that contained crack arrest features indicative of fatigue cracking. The report states, "The crack arrest features in the flat fracture region emanated from corrosion pits on the inside diameter surface of the mast. The entire inside diameter surface had been affected by this corrosion in the area of the flat fracture region."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The in-flight fracture of the main rotor mast and the separation of the main rotor. Factors to the accident were the corroded main rotor mast that resulted in fatigue.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/19/2000
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1324
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Valparaiso
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46383
Event Date Year 2000
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1330 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 93
Weather Observation Facility ID VPZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 771
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.27
Density Altitude (feet) 1288
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11918
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Aug 19 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1424
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 1 2002 11:26AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N250AD
NTSB Number CHI00FA266
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Fairchild Hiller
Aircraft Model FH-1100
Aircraft Series Identifier FH-1100
Aircraft Serial Number 162
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 31.1
Airframe Hours 4624.4
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Floating Czech, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 160 W 550 N
Aircraft Owner City Valparaiso
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46385
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code VPZ
Departure City Valparaiso
Departure State IN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1320
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Valparaiso
Destination State IN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jun 4 2002 11:09AM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --