David Wayne Hooks Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tomball, Texas 77375
Monday, October 7, 1985 8:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF A HARD LANDING DURING AN EMERGENCY AUTOROTATION FOLLOWING A COMPLETE POWER LOSS. THE POWER LOSS OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF AN UNCONTAINED FAILURE OF THE NO. 1 TURBINE WHEEL. THE WHEEL BURST AS A RESULT OF A FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE TURBINE TO COMPRESSOR COUPLING WHICH ALLOWED THE SHAFT TO DECOUPLE. WHEN THE TURBINE SECTION DECOUPLED THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED AN OVERSPEED. THE ORGIN OF THE FATIGUE FRACTURE WAS FOUND IN THE SCALLOP AREA ON THE TURBINE END OF THE SHAFT. THE ENG FAILURE OCCURRED AT LOW ALTITUDE ON DEPARTURE AND THE PLT HAD TO MANEUVER THE ACFT IN ORDER TO MAKE THE ONLY AVAILABLE FORCED LANDING AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/7/1985
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 810
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City TOMBALL
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77375
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DAVID WAYNE HOOKS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DWH
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 120
Airport Elevation 150
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 750 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID CXO
Elevation of weather observation facility 236
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
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) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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) 2930
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 8 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31596
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 N515EH
NTSB Number FTW86FA007
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206L-1
Aircraft Series Identifier 206L-1
Aircraft Serial Number 45364
Certified Max Gross Weight 4150
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 AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Sep 23 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 2764
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HELICOPTERS UNLIMITED
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 4115
Aircraft Owner City OAKLAND INTL
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94614
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DHL AIRWAYS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 8300
Operator City SAN FRANCISCO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94128
Operator Code KHLA
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 805
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code IAH
Destination City HOUSTON
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --