Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Garrison, North Dakota 58540
Saturday, August 4, 1990 9:45 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE TAKEOFF TRANSITION TO FORWARD FLIGHT THE HELICOPTER PILOT FELT THE LEFT ANTITORQUE PEDAL GO TO THE FLOOR, AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO ROTATE UNCONTROLLED. THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE HELICOPTER TO A CLEAR AREA AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND. UNCONTROLLED CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE TERRAIN. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT TAIL ROTOR CONTROL CABLE HAD FAILED DUE TO OVERLOAD IN AN AREA WHICH HAD BEEN SUBJECT TO MECHANICAL ABRASION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE HELICOPTER TAIL ROTOR CONTROL CABLE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE CHAFING OF THE TAIL ROTOR CONTROL CABLE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/4/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 945
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City GARRISON
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58540
Event Date Year 1990
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1547 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID BIS
Elevation of weather observation facility 1715
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2800
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2018
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 4 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45438
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N133HA
NTSB Number CHI90DTG02
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HILLER
Aircraft Model UH-12-E
Aircraft Series Identifier UH-12-E
Aircraft Serial Number 3033
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 18 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 258
Airframe Hours 1328
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SHAWN B MORTEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 657
Aircraft Owner City BEULAH
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 58523
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MORTEN, SHAWN B.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BOX 657
Operator City BEULAH
Operator State ND
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 58523
Operator Code LPGG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
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) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 945
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 Takeoff
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --