Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jordan, Minnesota 55352
Tuesady, June 11, 2002 13:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The helicopter was substantially damaged during a forced landing to a swamp after a total loss of engine power. The purpose of the flight was to spray for mosquito control. Inspection of the engine revealed that the compressor coupling shaft to the spur adapter gear shaft had damaged splines on the turbine driven end of the coupling shaft. Examination of the turbine end of the exhaust collector revealed that the circumferential weld joining the mounting flange to the bifurcated duct was non-uniform, discontinuous, and displayed a heat tint on both sides. Closer examination revealed places where the duct material; adjacent to the weld was slightly buckled and displayed indications of being impacted. The exhaust collector was dimensionally checked on a co-ordinate measuring machine (CMM). The CMM indicated that the flatness of the attaching flange for the pilot diameter displayed localized variation. As the print specifies that the centerline of the collector is established from the turbine pilot diameter and its attaching flange surface, their discrepancies resulted in a run out error on the gearbox pilot diameter.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power due to improper maintenance by unknown maintenance personnel which led to a misalignment of the gearbox casing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/11/2002
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Jordan
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55352
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.89
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14778
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jun 12 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
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 Minneapolis FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8542D
NTSB Number CHI02LA163
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bell
Aircraft Model 47G-2A-1
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 3546
Certified Max Gross Weight 2910
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 27 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 98
Airframe Hours 8472
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Scott's Helicopter Services Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO Box 92
Aircraft Owner City Le Sueur
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 56058
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 --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
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) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Jordan
Departure State MN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1320
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 - aerial application
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Dec 5 2003 9:07AM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --