Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kamuela, Hawaii 96743
Sunday, October 22, 2000 8:07 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A hard autorotation landing resulted from a loss of engine power in the takeoff initial climb. Inspection of the engine after the accident revealed that the engine gas generator compressor/turbine shaft was seized. The engine was overhauled 61 hours prior to the accident. The gas generator turbine aft support bearing was found dislodged from the bearing support cage. A circlip used to retain the bearing in the cage was not present and there was no evidence of the circlip having been installed during overhaul. The autorotation was made to an area of dirt and rocks that had a slight upslope.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A total loss of engine power due to the failure of the engine manufacturer's repair station personnel to install a circlip during engine overhaul, which resulted in the turbine assembly aft support bearing becoming dislodged and seized on the shaft. A factor in the accident was the rough and uneven nature of the landing site terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/22/2000
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 807
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City KAMUELA
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96743
Event Date Year 2000
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 753 Hawaii Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID HKO
Elevation of weather observation facility 47
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation HST
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 81
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 68
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10147
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Oct 24 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1630
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 17 2001 8:35AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N12NT
NTSB Number LAX01LA025
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 Aerospatiale
Aircraft Model AS350BA
Aircraft Series Identifier AS350BA
Aircraft Serial Number 1670
Certified Max Gross Weight 4630
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 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Aug 26 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 64
Airframe Hours 7227
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MAUNA KEA HELICOPTERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 1713
Aircraft Owner City KAMUELA
Aircraft Owner State HI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96743
Operator is an individual? --
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 MUNA
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code MUE
Departure City
Departure State HI
Departure Country
Departure Time 755
Departure Time Zone HST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City PRIVATE HELIPAD
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 27 2001 3:43PM
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 --