Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Rogue Valley Intl-Medford Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Medford, Oregon 97504
Saturday, May 5, 2001 16:54 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
As the helicopter cleared trees after patient pickup, a series of "pops" was heard and the #1 engine lost power. The pilot initially decided to make an emergency landing in a field, but no suitable landing areas were found, and the helicopter's #2 engine was determined to be producing sufficient power to sustain flight. The pilot therefore elected to continue the flight to the airport, and called the Medford tower and requested an emergency landing with fire crews standing by. The medical crew on board the helicopter subsequently reported that they smelled "something burning." Approaching the airport, the Medford tower controller advised the pilot that the aircraft was trailing smoke, and subsequently advised the pilot that the helicopter was on fire. The pilot elected to make a fast run-on landing, and subsequently landed on taxiway A at the airport. The aircraft occupants evacuated the helicopter without injury, and ARFF successfully extinguished the fire. The fire extensively damaged the helicopter's #1 engine compartment, engine cowling, outer surfaces of the #1 engine, and transmission compartment. The fire also partially burned/melted through the main rotor flight control tubes, and molten metal and debris were ingested into the #1 engine compressor. Post-accident examinations disclosed that the fire occurred in the #1 engine compartment, external to the #1 engine. The #1 engine compartment contained puddles of oil on the pan below the engine, and the #1 engine oil tank was found to be empty. The #1 engine oil out line (a line carrying oil from the engine accessory gearbox to the oil tank) was found to be leaking at a B-nut fitting at one end of the line. Additionally, the engine's right exhaust stack and right exhaust extension were found to be cracked around portions of their circumference under a V-clamp. Disassembly examination of the #1 engine N1 gas producer turbine assembly at the engine manufacturer's facilities disclosed that the first-stage nozzle and turbine wheel were burned consistent with exposure to excessive TOT, and that the second-stage nozzle and turbine wheel were generally intact. Examination of the three main bearings located in the turbine assembly (Nos. 6, 7, and 8) disclosed that the number 8 bearing was oiled and rotated freely, the number 6 bearing was dry but intact and rotated freely, and that the number 7 bearing was dry and slightly notchy but was able to be rotated. The Rolls-Royce accident investigation report concluded that "There were no hardware failures on any part of the engine", that "The damages to the 1st stage nozzle and 1st stage turbine wheel were the result of operation at an excessive TOT", and that "The engine was operating with the external fire well advanced as evidenced by the ingestion of fire debris and molten metal into the compressor."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A leaking engine oil outlet line fitting in the #1 engine compartment, resulting in an oil fire in the engine compartment.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/5/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1654 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Medford |
| Event State | OREGON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 97504 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 422220N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1225222W |
| Event Location Airport | Rogue Valley Intl-Medford |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MFR |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1335 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1656 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MFR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1335 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| 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) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.11 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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 | 4 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 12870 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 5 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1747 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 15 2003 4:03PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Portland (Hillsboro), OR |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N105RH |
| NTSB Number | SEA01FA085 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | In-flight |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | MBB |
| Aircraft Model | BO-105C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | S-55 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5512 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 1 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 19 |
| Airframe Hours | 14324 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | TL Forest Products Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. Box 370 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Ashland |
| Aircraft Owner State | OR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 97520 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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 | TLLA |
| 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 | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger Only |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | MFR |
| Departure City | Medford |
| Departure State | OR |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1557 |
| Departure Time Zone | -- |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | MFR |
| Destination City | Medford |
| Destination State | OR |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Unknown |
| Report sent to ICAO? | Yes |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 2 2002 1:45PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | Yes |
| Medical Flight | -- |