Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Aniak, Alaska 99557
Wednesday, July 9, 2003 18:00 AKD
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The helicopter was operating as a Title 14, CFR Part 91, positioning flight in visual meteorological conditions when it had a total loss of engine power while in cruise flight. The pilot said the first indication of a problem was the illumination of the auto-relight indicator, followed by the engine fail light. He initiated an autorotation towards a clearing, but was unable to reach it. The helicopter impacted trees about 30 feet above the ground. During the inspection of the engine, the compressor discharge pressure line (Pc line) was removed at the compressor scroll, and compressed air was applied. Technicians reported air escaping at the Pc line's junction with the fuel control unit. The B-nut on the Pc line was loose at the fuel control unit. There was evidence of fretting on the B-nut fitting, and there were smears of orange torque seal material on the B-nut. No torque seal material was present on the B-nut fitting. The engine logbook indicated the fuel control unit was replaced by company mechanics 178 hours prior to the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The compressor discharge pressure line (Pc line) B-nut coming loose at the fuel control unit, which resulted in a total loss of engine power, and subsequent in-flight collision with trees during an autorotation. A factor associated with the accident was the improper installation of the Pc line B-nut by company maintenance personnel.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/9/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1800 |
| Event Time Zone | -- |
| Event City | Aniak |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99557 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 613454N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1593235W |
| 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 | 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 | 1500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| 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) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 220 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 20 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 2100 |
| 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) | 15043 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Anchorage, ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 9 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1830 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 30 2004 8:14AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Anchorage FSDO-03 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N111MT |
| NTSB Number | ANC03LA073 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Bell |
| Aircraft Model | 206B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1989 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3200 |
| 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 | 5 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 3 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 26 |
| Airframe Hours | 7701 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Master Track, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 509 Rue Des Etoile |
| Aircraft Owner City | Carencro |
| Aircraft Owner State | LA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 70520 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | AMERICAN HELICOPTERS |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 7903 County Road 220 |
| Operator City | Angleton |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 77515 |
| Operator Code | A5HA |
| 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) | Positioning |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | RDV |
| Departure City | Red Devil |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1730 |
| Departure Time Zone | ADT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | PANI |
| Destination City | Aniak |
| Destination State | AK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise - normal |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 10 2004 2:18PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PETL |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |