Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Scottsdale Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
Sunday, April 14, 2002 9:15 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The helicopter sustained substantial damage after experiencing a severe vibratory event during liftoff. The certified flight instructor (CFI) reported that the helicopter was positioned on a slope. The preflight and runup were uneventful. The engine was advanced to 3,100 rpm and the CFI instructed the student to bring the downslope skid level with the upslope skid. As the collective was raised, the helicopter began to vibrate. The CFI decreased engine power and control pressures. He then increased the engine speed to 3,100 rpm. As soon as pressure was placed on the controls, the helicopter began to "self destruct." The uphill skid did not leave the surface during either attempted takeoff. No unresolved mechanical discrepancies were noted with the helicopter prior to the accident. The helicopter was examined by an FAA airworthiness inspector. No preimpact discrepancies were noted with the main rotor dampers or the skid strut oleos. In the FAA Rotorcraft Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-21) it states that ground resonance is associated with fully articulated rotor systems. If a helicopter touches down on one corner, the blades may move out of their normal phase. If the rpm is in the normal operating range, the pilot should fly the helicopter off the ground, allowing the blades to automatically realign themselves. If not, the helicopter may self-destruct in a matter of seconds.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The flight instructor's inadequate remedial action following the onset of ground resonance.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/14/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 915 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Scottsdale |
| Event State | ARIZONA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 85260 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 333737N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1115438W |
| Event Location Airport | Scottsdale |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KSDL |
| 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 | 1510 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 953 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KSDL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1510 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| 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) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 150 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.9 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 3545 |
| 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) | 14950 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 14 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1020 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 2 2004 8:06AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | WP-FSDO-Scottsdale |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N324PH |
| NTSB Number | LAX02LA137 |
| 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 | S1665 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1670 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 21 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1950 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Scottsdale Helicopters |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 14700 N. Airport Drive, Suite 100 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Scottsdale |
| Aircraft Owner State | AZ |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 85260 |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | KSDL |
| Departure City | Scottsdale |
| Departure State | AZ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 945 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| 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 | Nov 21 2003 4:58PM |
| User who most recently changed record | COOS |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |