Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dallas, Texas 75241
Wednesday, June 26, 1985 11:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ENG TO TRANSMISSION SHORT SHAFT BECAME DISCONNECTED IN FLT. THIS RESULTED IN COMPLETE LOSS OF PWR TO THE MAIN ROTOR ASSEMBLY. HOWEVER, THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY WAS STILL BEING POWERED BY THE ENG. UPON COLLECTIVE PITCH APPLICATION TO STOP THE DESCENT THE ACFT YAWED ABOUT 90 DEGS TO THE RIGHT AND ALSO ROLLED ABOUT 70 DEGS TO THE RIGHT AND IMPACTED THE TRUNK OF A LARGE TREE. THIS IMPACT RESULTED IN DISINTEGRATION OF THE HELICOPTER. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT COTTER PINS HAD NOT BEEN INSTALLED IN THE BOLTS WHICH CONNECT THE FORWARD END OF THE SHORT SHAFT TO THE FLEXIBLE COUPLING AT THE TRANSMISSION. IT ALSO REVEALED THAT A REQUIRED 30 HR RECURRING INSPECTION HAD NOT BEEN COMPLETED AND WAS 15.9 HRS OVERDUE. THE COMPLETION OF THIS REQUIRED INSPECTION WOULD HAVE REVEALED THAT THE COTTER PINS WERE MISSING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/26/1985
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1140
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DALLAS
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75241
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 6
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 1147 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID DAL
Elevation of weather observation facility 487
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1860
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 26 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1210
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29241
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N148BH
NTSB Number FTW85FA265
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model AS35OD
Aircraft Series Identifier AS35OD
Aircraft Serial Number 1274
Certified Max Gross Weight 4190
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 25 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 55
Airframe Hours 1256
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CIA MACHINERY, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 182
Aircraft Owner City LANCASTER
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75146
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
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 No
Departure Airport Code DAL
Departure City DALLAS
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City LANCASTER
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --