Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Hayward, California 94544
Saturday, March 17, 2001 21:34 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airline transport certificated helicopter pilot was conducting nighttime aerial surveillance in support of law enforcement activities over a densely populated residential area. As he orbited the helicopter about 600 feet above a residential area, all engine power was lost. The pilot entered an autorotation, and attempted to make an emergency landing on a residential lawn, located within the dimly lit residential area. The helicopter struck a small gauge residential power supply line that was stretched across the emergency glide path. After striking the power line, the helicopter landed hard and nosed down, coming to rest in the front lawn of a residence. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor hub assembly (starflex), tail boom, and fuselage. Postaccident examination of the Turbomeca Arriel 1D1 turbo shaft engine revealed a fractured bevel gear, part number 0292107960, located in the engine accessory gearbox. A metallurgical examination of the fractured bevel gear disclosed evidence of radial cracks between the teeth of the gear, consistent with high cycle fatigue (HCF) phenomenon. As a result, Turbomeca issued a service letter to all operators of Arriel engines outlining an inspection method for engines currently in service, suggesting that the bevel gear will be checked systematically. The service letter reported, in part: "The fracture was the result of a fatigue propagation. Metallurgical and dimensional analyses have not revealed any defect." The failure of the accessory bevel gear will result in the failure of the fuel pump and fuel control unit, and a loss of engine power.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The fatigue fracture of the engine accessory drive gear while maneuvering, which resulted in a loss of engine power and collision with a residential transmission line during the ensuing forced landing. A factor associated with the accident was the residential transmission line.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/17/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 2134 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | Hayward |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 94544 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| 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 | 5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 90 |
| Airport Elevation | 6 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2153 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | OAK |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 6 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 5 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| 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) | 9 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 350 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.15 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -843 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 20638 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 17 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2213 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 29 2006 12:45PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Oakland, California |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N996PD |
| NTSB Number | LAX01TA119 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Public Use |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Eurocopter France |
| Aircraft Model | AS350-B2 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3168 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4961 |
| 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 | Jan 1 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 77 |
| Airframe Hours | 1025 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 21000 Corsair Blvd. |
| Aircraft Owner City | Hayward |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 94545 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| 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 | None |
| 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) | Public Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | HWD |
| Departure City | Hayward |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1955 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| 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 | Cruise - normal |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 13 2006 6:08PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |