Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Walker, Minnesota 56484
Saturday, July 14, 2001 20:15 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The helicopter sustained substantial damage on impact with vehicles and terrain on takeoff following a reported in-flight loss of engine power. The pilot and two passengers sustained minor injuries. The pilot stated, "The fact that all was indicating normal, I re-confirmed power settings and we departed via a normal rate of climb takeoff. ... It was quite obvious very quickly the aircraft had momentarily suffered a partial power loss. I was not at sufficient altitude to reduce collective to minimize power applications and as such upon realizing despite instrument indications as stated the a/c was descending rapidly and would impact into a parking lot of vehicles below me." The pilot stated that there was no other suitable terrain to land on. A witness stated, "The pilot then nosed the helicopter over and started moving forward and gaining altitude. At that point I started to turn to the person next to me to say something but my attention was immediately drawn back to the departing helicopter because of a change in the sound from the helicopter." The engine was test run and it produced full rated power.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons during takeoff. Factors were the vehicles, the unsuitable terrain the pilot encountered, and the low altitude of the helicopter at the time of the loss of engine power.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/14/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 2015 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Walker |
| Event State | MINNESOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 56484 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| 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 | -- |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2019 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 120 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | XVG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1334 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 20 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.9 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 2740 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 3 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 12447 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 14 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2141 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 6 2002 3:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Minneapolis, MN, FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N61434 |
| NTSB Number | CHI01LA215 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Schweizer |
| Aircraft Model | 269C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | S1634 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2050 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 5 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 36.8 |
| Airframe Hours | 1837.8 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Chesapeake Bay Helicopters, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 5172 W Military Highway, Suite E |
| Aircraft Owner City | Chesapeake |
| Aircraft Owner State | VA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 23321 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Northern Flights Helicopter Service, Inc. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 523 17th Ave East |
| Operator City | West Fargo |
| Operator State | ND |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 23321 |
| 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) | Business |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Walker |
| Departure State | MN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2015 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| 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 | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 11 2002 3:21PM |
| User who most recently changed record | SULP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | Yes |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |