Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Yauco, Puerto Rico 00698
Saturday, May 25, 2002 12:40 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While enroute to his intended destination, the pilot noticed a reduction in engine power and engine oil pressure and elected to make a precautionary landing to investigate. The pilot selected a parking lot with an approximate 25-degree upslope for the landing area. Approximately five seconds after the initial touchdown in the parking lot, the helicopter started to slide rearward and veered to the right colliding with a parked vehicle. The helicopter came to rest on its side. The helicopter and two parked vehicles burst into flames. The examination of the engine assembly and airframe remains revealed no evidence of pre-impact component failure or system malfunction. Weather conditions were favorable for the formation of carburetor ice. The pilot did not report using carburetor heat at any point during the flight. Review of information on file with the Federal Aviation Administration, revealed the pilot was issued a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land and airplane multi-engine land. The pilot's logbook showed that he had accumulated 2,289 hours total flight time with 295 hours of flight time in the accident aircraft make and model. The pilot did not hold a helicopter pilot's rating.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to apply carburetor heat that resulted in a partial loss of engine power and the subsequent collision with an object during the forced landing. A factor was weather conditions favorable for the formation of carburetor ice.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/25/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1240 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Yauco |
| Event State | PUERTO RICO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 00698 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 180029N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0663347W |
| 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 | 1149 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TJPS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 26 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 12 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 31 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 23 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 140 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 14771 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 25 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1500 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 5 2004 4:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | San Juan FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6SR |
| NTSB Number | ATL02FA107 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Bell |
| Aircraft Model | 47G-4A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 7516 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2950 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 29 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 25 |
| Airframe Hours | 16367 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Ismeal Nieves |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 173 Calle Commerical # 2km 115 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Isabella |
| Aircraft Owner State | PR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 00662 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Isabella |
| Departure State | PR |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1100 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Salines |
| Destination State | PR |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 7 2003 12:35PM |
| User who most recently changed record | POWP |
| 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 | -- |