Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Kimble, Tennessee 37347
Sunday, March 23, 2003 8:00 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the co-pilot, the purpose of the flight was to move logs from one-drop area to another using a 150-foot long line attached to the helicopter. On the second airlift, shortly after the logs were laid on the ground, a shudder was felt in the helicopter airframe followed by a slight yaw to the right. On the instrument panel, there was a needle jump in the triple tachometer gauge followed by a very loud bang. The helicopter began a violent left hand descending spin towards the ground. As the helicopter descended, it collided with trees and subsequently the ground. Within seconds the helicopter burst into flames. Examination of the helicopter revealed, the cockpit and the main fuselage of the helicopter were fire damaged. The tail boom was partially fire damaged, and tail rotor blades were bent and connected to the tail rotor transmission. The tail rotor drive shaft was intact and connected to the main rotor transmission. The five main rotor blades were connected to the main rotor head and displayed buckling and deformation damage. Further examination of the main transmission revealed that the left input free wheel unit turned and freewheeled, but made a grinding noise when turned in the freewheel direction. Further examination of the left input free wheel unit revealed the gear housing was worn with numerous roller impressions on the gear housing. The rollers were also rough in surface appearance. The right input free wheel unit operated in both directions without making any detectable noise. Record review of the input free wheel unit assemblies were conducted, and it was reported that the time since overhauled on the components was 960 hours. Sikorsky recommends that free wheel unit times should between overhauls of 350 hours. The FAA-H-8083-21 rotor Flying Handbook notes that pilots need to be familiar with the Height/Velocity diagrams for the particular models of rotorcraft the pilots are flying. Operating at the altitudes and airspeeds shown within the cross-hatched or shaded areas of the Height/Velocity diagram may not allow enough time for the critical transition from powered flight to autorotation. The helicopter operated about 150 feet above the ground inside the shaded area of the Height/ Velocity Curve.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The interruption of rotor system drive power due to the input free wheeling unit malfunctioning , and the pilot's operation of the helicopter in the critical area of the height-velocity curve.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/23/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 800 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Kimble |
| Event State | TENNESSEE |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 37347 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | Yes |
| Event Location Latitude | 351459N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0855959W |
| 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 | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 0 |
| Airport Elevation | 0 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 753 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 294 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CHA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 682 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 41 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 10000 |
| 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) | 9 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.05 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 12 |
| 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 | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 17670 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Communication Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 23 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1000 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 8 2005 12:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Nashville FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N81664 |
| NTSB Number | ATL03FA065 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Sikorsky |
| Aircraft Model | S-61A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 61063 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 10500 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 22 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 3 |
| Airframe Hours | 18579 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Carson Helicopters Incorported |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 952 Blooming Glen Road |
| Aircraft Owner City | Perkasie |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 18944 |
| 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) | Other Work Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Kimble |
| Departure State | TN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 730 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Kimble |
| Destination State | TN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Hover |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 12 2005 10:35AM |
| User who most recently changed record | POWP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |