Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Big Timber, Montana 59055
Wednesday, June 25, 2003 9:00 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While operating at an altitude of about 40 feet and 40 knots airspeed on a low level coyote predation flight the pilot of the (Hughes) McDonnell Douglas 369E helicopter heard a loud bang and observed both the "Engine Out" and "Auto Relight" warning lights illuminate. The pilot reduced collective and immediately transitioned to a forced landing onto uneven terrain during which the helicopter touched down hard and the right skid separated. Post-crash examination of the Rolls Royce (Allison) 250-C20B turboshaft engine revealed that the compressor coupling adapter had fractured circumferentially resulting in the disconnection of the compressor from the turbine assembly. Further examination revealed that the Rolls Royce (Allison) manufactured compressor adapter coupling had been installed approximately 1,005 hours earlier and that the separation had been the result of multiple fatigue fractures in the coupling associated with severe fretting on the adapter's outer diameter where it inserts into the spur adapter gearshaft.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Fretting on the outside diameter of the compressor coupling adapter which resulted in fatigue and subsequent fracture of the adapter, and ultimately the disconnection of the compressor from the turbine assembly. Contributing factors were low rotor RPM, uneven terrain and collapse of the right skid on landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/25/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 900 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Big Timber |
| Event State | MONTANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 59055 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 455507N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1095216W |
| 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 | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 853 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 225 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LVM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 4656 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 27 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| 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) | 4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 300 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.22 |
| 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) | 15401 |
| NTSB Notification Source | US Wildlife Services |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 25 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 818 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 28 2004 3:34PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Helena FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1502 |
| NTSB Number | SEA03TA116 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Public Use |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | McDonnell Douglas |
| Aircraft Model | 369E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0324E |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3000 |
| 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 | Feb 20 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 19 |
| Airframe Hours | 7866 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | US Department of Agriculture/Wildlife Services |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2150 Centre Ave., Bldg B, MSC 3W9 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Fort Collins |
| Aircraft Owner State | CO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 80526 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | USDA APHIS Wildlife Services |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | PO Box 1938 |
| Operator City | Billings |
| Operator State | MT |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 59103 |
| 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) | Public Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 6S0 |
| Departure City | Big Timber |
| Departure State | MT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 840 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | HLN |
| Destination City | Helena |
| Destination State | MT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 11 2004 12:52PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |