Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Angola, New York 14006
Wednesday, May 29, 2002 10:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While conducting a normal landing, approximately 75-100 feet above the ground, the certified flight instructor (CFI) observed the student pilot begin to bleed off airspeed by pulling aft on the cyclic. The helicopter then abruptly made an uncommanded yaw to the left, and began to roll. After the CFI observed the rotor tachometer " bleeding off," and did not see the engine needle on the left hand side of it's gauge, he assumed control of the helicopter. He proceeded to lower the collective just enough to try and maintain glide, while applying forward and right cyclic to counter the left roll. About 30 feet above the ground, he applied aft cyclic to flare, and then forward cyclic to level the skids. The helicopter touched down on the skids, level with the ground, on the side of the grass strip. The helicopter skidded forward about 50 feet, into a culvert ditch, where it came to rest. Examination of the engine and airframe did not reveal any pre-impact failures.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/29/2002
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Angola
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 14006
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 423959N
Event Location Longitude 0785947W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 708
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 954 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID BUF
Elevation of weather observation facility 724
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 21
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 9500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
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) 30.03
Density Altitude (feet) 1776
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13626
NTSB Notification Source EROC
NTSB Notification Date May 29 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 1 2003 9:44AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FSDO-23 Rochester, NY

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N42SD
NTSB Number NYC02TA104
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 Hughes
Aircraft Model OH-6A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 501412
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 24 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 91
Airframe Hours 3521
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Erie County Sherrif's Office
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10 Delaware Ave.
Aircraft Owner City Buffalo
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 14202
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 No
Departure Airport Code 4G2
Departure City Hamburg
Departure State NY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City Angola
Destination State NY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2003 11:51AM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
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 --