Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Church Fenton
Sunday, December 3, 2000 15:35 GMT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On December 3, 2000, at 1535 UTC, a Robinson R-22B, UK registration G-BNUZ, broke up in-flight over Church Fenton, North Yorkshire, UK, while descending toward the Sheburn Aerodrome for landing. The helicopter was destroyed in the accident sequence and the private pilot and one passenger sustained fatal injuries. The helicopter was operated by Hields Aviation and rented by the pilot for a local area personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the operation. Ground witnesses reported that in the minutes prior to the breakup, the engine was heard to run roughly and the main rotor blades were slow enough to see the individual blades. The accident is under the jurisdiction of, and being investigated by, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch of the United Kingdom's Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, Berkshire Copse Road, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU11 2HH, United Kingdom. Telephone number 44 1252 510300.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/3/2000
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1535
Event Time Zone --
Event City CHURCH FENTON
Event State --
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 12
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 Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1500
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID GCJ
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Not Reported
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 0
NTSB Notification Source UK AAIB
NTSB Notification Date Dec 4 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 853
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 12:28PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number --
NTSB Number LAX01WA051
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Non-U.S., Non-Commercial
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Unknown
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Robinson
Aircraft Model R-22B
Aircraft Series Identifier R-22B
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
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 --
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address SHEBURN FIELD
Operator City ELMET
Operator State OF
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code EGCJ
Departure City ELMET
Departure State OF
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 22 2001 3:26PM
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 --