Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Searcy, Arkansas 72143
Sunday, June 8, 2003 16:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The helicopter impacted terrain during an autorotation following a loss of engine power. The pilot reported he received indications of an engine over temperature on a prior flight and upon landing saw that the belt driving the cooling system water pump had come off the pulley. He put the belt back on the pulley and ran up the engine while confirming that engine temperatures were within limits. The pilot noted he completed a normal takeoff after allowing the helicopter to hover for three to four minutes as he checked the engine temperature. The pilot stated the water temperature began rising rapidly during departure and the engine "immediately" began losing power. The pilot reported the engine lost power a few seconds later and he lowered the collective to begin an autorotation. The pilot noted the helicopter yawed to the right as he flared. The pilot stated the helicopter impacted the terrain, yawed 45 degrees to the right, and rolled over onto its left side.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The unqualified maintenance performed by the pilot and the inadequate autorotation by the pilot. A factor contributing to this accident was the overtemperature of the engine cooling system.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/8/2003
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Searcy
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72143
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 351234N
Event Location Longitude 0914007W
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 1553 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID SRC
Elevation of weather observation facility 264
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4500
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) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.84
Density Altitude (feet) 2432
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14829
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jun 10 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 940
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 2 2004 8:07AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA- Little Rock FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8246J
NTSB Number CHI03LA155
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 Sesin
Aircraft Model EXEC90
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 5148
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Mar 27 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 446
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Steve L Foster
Aircraft Owner Street Address 220 Sibley Tr.
Aircraft Owner City Searcy
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72143
Operator is an individual? Yes
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code PVT
Departure City Searcy
Departure State AR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1515
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code PVT
Destination City Searcy
Destination State AR
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Dec 31 2003 3:23PM
User who most recently changed record SULP
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 --