Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Roswell, New Mexico 88201
Friday, October 19, 2001 14:58 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
After a maximum performance takeoff (to clear wires) from a parking lot, the helicopter departed the area to the west and climbed to an altitude of 5,500 feet msl. After selecting a landing zone, the pilot turned northwest toward the area and initiated a descent. The pilot's intention was to bring the helicopter to a high hover, allow the dust to settle, and then land. As the helicopter descended to about 200 feet agl, at an airspeed of 115-120 knots, the pilot initiated a right turn into the wind. As the helicopter was turning, the pilot realized the turn was "too steep" and tried to shallow the turn; however, the cyclic would not move. At one point the pilot tried to neutralize the cyclic with both hands but to no avail. The pilot did not remember any "stiffness" with the collective, and he did not hear a warning horn or see any lights illuminate. Subsequently, the helicopter impacted the ground. No pre-impact anomalies were observed during an examination of the airframe and engine. No anomalies were noted during the examination and testing of the hydraulic servos that would have prevented their operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The seizing of the cyclic control for an undetermined reason. A contributing factor was the lack of altitude for the pilot to regain control of the helicopter.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/19/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1458 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Roswell |
| Event State | NEW MEXICO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 88201 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 332513N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1043932W |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1453 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 120 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ROW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 3669 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 12 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| 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) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 100 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.96 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 6107 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 2 |
| Injury Total All | 4 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 13471 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 19 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1730 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 30 2003 9:51AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Albuqueque, New Mexico |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N111DT |
| NTSB Number | FTW02FA017 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Aerospatiale |
| Aircraft Model | AS350B2 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | -- |
| 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 | 5 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 19 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 72.5 |
| Airframe Hours | 2283.9 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Medical Air Transport |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 510 W 4th Street |
| Aircraft Owner City | Carson City |
| Aircraft Owner State | NV |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 89703 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Medical Air Transport, Inc. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 910 S. Ponderosa |
| Operator City | Payson |
| Operator State | AZ |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 85541 |
| Operator Code | W76A |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Roswell |
| Departure State | NM |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1451 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| 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? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 2 2009 2:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | Yes |
| Medical Flight | -- |