Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Paso, Texas 79904
Wednesday, November 17, 1999 11:45 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said that he saw something on the ground that he wanted to observe. He went into a hover at 5 feet agl. The pilot said that when he initiated his departure, the helicopter made an uncommanded roll to the right causing the main rotor blades to hit the ground. Postaccident examination and testing of the three main rotor blade servos found no anomalies which might have initiated an uncommanded roll. The helicopter manufacturer's representative said that he had never heard of an uncommanded roll in this model of aircraft.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

An uncommanded flight control input for undetermined reasons resulting in rotor blade contact with the ground and subsequent loss of control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/17/1999
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1145
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City EL PASO
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79904
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 11
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1155 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID ELP
Elevation of weather observation facility 3956
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
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) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1519
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 17 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1958
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 23 2001 9:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N341G
NTSB Number DEN00LA019
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 SA341G
Aircraft Series Identifier SA341G
Aircraft Serial Number 1056
Certified Max Gross Weight 3970
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 5 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 3654
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLES BELLA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4711 ATLAS AVE
Aircraft Owner City EL PASO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79904
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 GRTP
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City MCGREGOR
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1140
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code TS59
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 23 2001 9:36AM
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 --