Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Eugene Is 192, -- 00000
Thursday, July 25, 2002 12:55 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While in cruise flight over open ocean water, the pilot of the air taxi helicopter heard a "bang," and the helicopter yawed. The pilot was unable to control the yaw, so he initiated an autorotation. Prior to water entry, the skid mounted floats were successfully deployed. After touchdown on the water, the helicopter rolled over inverted, and the pilot and passenger exited the helicopter and were rescued by a recovery boat. Examination of the wreckage revealed a main rotor blade contact mark just aft of the exhaust stack on a downward angle of approximately 45 degrees. Cyclic, collective, and tail rotor control continuity was established throughout the flight control system. Removal. of the tail rotor drive shaft cowling revealed that the #6 drive shaft (s/n VNMK-47448) twisted apart into two sections, with respective adjacent disc pack couplings deformed. The #8 drive shaft (s/n VNMKH-48083) was found twisted, but not separated, no deformity was noted on the adjacent disc pack couplings. One tail rotor blade (s/n CS-9003) showed damage to its leading edge, and was fractured along the chord in perpendicular to the leading edge. A "bluish", plastic appearing material was found smeared onto the damaged leading edge. The opposite tail rotor blade displayed no visible damage, however, some of the "bluish" coloration was found on its blade tip weight rivets. The tail boom showed evidence of scrapping along its left side, corresponding to the tip path plane of the tail rotor disc. Additional "bluish" coloration was present in the area of the scrapes, and on the tail rotor gearbox output shaft. All damage found was within the rotational arc of the tail rotor disc, with the exception of the exception the main rotor blade and the twisted #6 section of the tail rotor drive shaft. The baggage compartment door and latches were inspected for integrity. The door interior was not deformed and did not show visible evidence of impact marks and the latches were in good condition with no looseness when the door was in the closed & latched position. An electrical continuity check of the baggage door open warning system found no anomalies, and the caution panel bulbs were not damaged or burned. Additionally, neither the pilot or passenger reported noticing any warning lights being illuminated during the accident. All four passenger and crew doors were closed and latched, and would not open by normal means from inside the cabin. During recovery, examination, and interviews, some of the aircraft's standard on-board equipment and internal cargo that was loaded prior to take off were not found. Unoccupied Rear Cabin (5 seating positions): 3 personal flotation devices; 1 newspaper; 1 manila folder with contents. Baggage Compartment: 2 cardboard boxes, measuring 12 inches by 12 inches; 1 envelope; 1 plastic hard hat; 1 ice water cooler. Material analysis of the "bluish" marks on the tail rotor were not conclusive as to what type of object or material could have come into contact with the tail rotor during flight. No mechanical anomalies were discovered that could have contributed to the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of tail rotor control due to an in-flight collision with an object.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/25/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1255 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Eugene Is 192 |
| Event State | GULF OF MEXICO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 00000 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 284305N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0912619W |
| 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 | -- |
| 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) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 225 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15675 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Baton Rouge FAA FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 25 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1410 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 30 2004 12:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3174Y |
| NTSB Number | FTW02LA217 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Bell |
| Aircraft Model | 206L-3 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 51038 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4150 |
| 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 | 7 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 4 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 106.5 |
| Airframe Hours | 11483.4 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | AIR LOGISTICS L L C |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4605 Industrial Drive |
| Aircraft Owner City | New Iberia |
| Aircraft Owner State | LA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 70560 |
| 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 | ALGA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| 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 | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger/Cargo |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Ship Shoal 149 |
| Departure State | GM |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1248 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Eugene Isld 192 |
| Destination State | GM |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 26 2004 8:50PM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |