Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Charlotte County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Punta Gorda, Florida 33982
Monday, April 8, 2002 8:34 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that the helicopter was positioned on a trailer that was located on the northeast sheriff's department ramp. After the engine start when he pulled "pitch", he felt the right skid pulling downward. He applied right cyclic input to counter the pulling and attempted to set the helicopter back down on the trailer. When he reduced pitch, the helicopter "...immediately let go from whatever was holding it down, and because of the applied right cyclic, the helicopter immediately began to roll to the right." He applied left cyclic which had no effect. The helicopter rolled off the trailer, contacted the ground, and came to rest upright. The main transmission and main rotor system separated from the helicopter. The pilot also stated that he had been trained at performing a couple or three lift offs and landings from the trailer which was purchased from an individual in Wimauma, Florida, and was reportedly designed for an OH-58 helicopter. The accident sequence was video taped on a surveillance camera, a copy of the tape was put on a CD and provided to the NTSB. Examination of the landing platform area of the trailer revealed the outer edges of both sides have an approximately 1.1875 inch high lip extending above the platform; the lip extends the length of the sides. Additionally, four sections of round bar material are welded on top of the lip in four places on the sides of the trailer; two on each side near the ends. The pilot provided a digital photograph taken sometime before the accident date depicting the accident helicopter on the trailer. A review of that photograph revealed tie down straps used to secure the helicopter go over the round bar material. Information provided by the pilot revealed that the landing platform area of the trailer is 95.250 inches wide; the skids measured 90.250 inches from outside edge to outside edge. Additionally, chipped paint was noted on a weld bead located on the left side of the platform near the forward portion where the round bar section was welded to the lip. Examination of the left skid revealed an indentation on the left forward outside portion of the skid.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Dynamic rollover experienced by the pilot while attempting to lift off from a trailer after experiencing skid to trailer contact. A factor in the accident was the inadequate equipment (trailer) which had a 1.1875 inch high lip extending the length of the sides.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/8/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 834 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Punta Gorda |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33982 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 265513N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0815926W |
| Event Location Airport | Charlotte County Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KPGD |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 25 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 853 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KPGD |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 25 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| 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) | 14 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 100 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.24 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 12619 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Tampa, FL FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 8 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 918 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 16 2003 4:27PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Tampa, Florida |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N107CS |
| NTSB Number | MIA02TA081 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Public Use |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Bell |
| Aircraft Model | OH-58C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 40717 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3200 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 26 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 6 |
| Airframe Hours | 4481 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Charlotte County Sheriff's Office |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 7474 Utilities Road |
| Aircraft Owner City | Punta Gorda |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 339822417 |
| 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 | -- |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | KPGD |
| Departure City | Punta Gorda |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| 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 | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 6 2002 10:00AM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |