Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
St. Mary's Helipad Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Grand Junction, Colorado 81505
Wednesday, February 28, 2001 10:24 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During a test flight, following maintenance on the helicopter, which required a functional flight check for vibration and autorotation, the helicopter was observed by witnesses to enter a rapid descent. During this maneuver, the rotor system was observed to slow down and the rotor blades to "fold" over the top of the helicopter. Pieces, which were later identified as fragments from the transmission cowling, were observed exiting the helicopter when the rotor system slowed down. The helicopter descended into the ground in a right hand turning maneuver. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of either a structural or system failure or malfunction. According to the helicopter's manufacturer, as the main rotor system slows while under aerodynamic load, the main gear box can "walk" (horizontal orbital movement) on its mounting structure, which can result in contact between the transmission cowling and the main rotor control rod ends. Examination of the engines revealed evidence that engine power was applied when the rotor system was at low rotational speed. No evidence of preimpact engine failure or malfunction was found. According to available information, the pilot had received no training from the operator regarding the conduct of a maintenance test flight, not does the FAA require such training.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's failure to maintain rotor speed during an intentional autorotation, which resulted in a loss of control.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/28/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1024 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | GRAND JUNCTION |
| Event State | COLORADO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 81505 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | ST. MARY'S HELIPAD |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 29CO |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 11 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 160 |
| Airport Elevation | 4662 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1056 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GJT |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 4858 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 11 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 9500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 6 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 140 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.88 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 4700 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| 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) | 11452 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA NM ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 28 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1045 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 20 2002 1:46PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | SALT LAKE CITY, UT |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N412SM |
| NTSB Number | DEN01FA058 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BELL |
| Aircraft Model | 412SP |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 33197 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 11900 |
| 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 | 9 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 10 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 20 |
| Airframe Hours | 5481 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | CARE FLIGHT |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. BOX 1628, 2635 N. 7TH STREET |
| Aircraft Owner City | GRAND JUNCTION |
| Aircraft Owner State | CO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 81501 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | PETROLEUM HELICOPTERS, INC. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | P.O. BOX 90808 |
| Operator City | LAFAYETTE |
| Operator State | LA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 70500 |
| Operator Code | HEEA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | Flight Test |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 29CO |
| Departure City | GRAND JUNCTION |
| Departure State | CO |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1000 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| 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? | Yes |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 28 2002 11:02AM |
| User who most recently changed record | MCBM |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |