Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Greenville, Florida 32231
Wednesday, February 8, 1989 11:25 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

FLT EXPERIENCED LOSS OF TRANSMISSION DRIVE AND PERFORMED AN AUTOROTATION INTO TREES. EXAMINATION OF THE TRANSMISSION INDICATED THE SPRAG CLUTCH HAD FAILED AND THAT THE FAILED SPRAG CLUTCH WAS THE IMPROPER CLUTCH FOR THAT ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. THE CLUTCH HAD BEEN INSTALLED AT TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL 140 HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INSTALLATION OF THE IMPROPER SPRAG CLUTCH ASSEMBLY BY THE OWNERS MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL RESULTING IN FAILURE OF THE SPRAG CLUTCH AND THE LOSS OF TRANSMISSION DRIVE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/8/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1125
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City GREENVILLE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32231
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 2
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 1148 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 265
Weather Observation Facility ID TLH
Elevation of weather observation facility 81
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 36
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 194
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 8 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38513
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 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 N204AP
NTSB Number MIA89LA081
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model TH-1L
Aircraft Series Identifier TH-1L
Aircraft Serial Number 157840
Certified Max Gross Weight 9500
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 11
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 26 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 31
Airframe Hours 8092
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SOUTHERN AERO CORPORATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1085
Aircraft Owner City OZARK
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36361
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GREEN MOUNTAIN HELICOPTER, INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 761
Operator City NORTH BEND
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98045
Operator Code GUTL
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation External Load
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City GREENVILLE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1118
Departure Time Zone EST
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 Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --