Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Media, Pennsylvania 19063
Saturday, February 28, 2004 14:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot was flying the helicopter in cruise flight, at 800 feet, when a loss of tail rotor thrust occurred, with a "sharp metallic-sounding squeal." The student pilot then performed an autorotation which resulted in a hard landing. Examination of the tail rotor drive shaft, forward fitting teeth, revealed smearing and rubbing in the middle of the tooth surfaces. A wear/rubbing failure mechanism had been previously seen on other helicopters, that resulted from insufficient lubrication. Although the forward fitting had a significant amount of grease on it, it could not be confirmed whether grease had always been present. No significant manufacturing defects were found. With over 3,000 helicopters in service, only two similar events had been attributed to insufficient lubrication, and both occurred on same helicopter model within the previous year. Shaft loading, which was "relatively light," only required minimal lubrication to a design that had remained essentially unaltered since the 1960s. The shaft, which required an inspection every 300 hours, had last been inspected 180 hours before the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A lack of previous lubrication to the tail rotor drive shaft forward fitting teeth, which resulted in their gradual wear, the eventual slippage of the shaft, and the subsequent loss of tailrotor thrust and forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/28/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Media
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19063
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 395500N
Event Location Longitude 0752500W
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 1354 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
Weather Observation Facility ID PHL
Elevation of weather observation facility 36
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.31
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 17568
NTSB Notification Source NTSB Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date Feb 28 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1422
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 28 2005 2:59PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Philadelphia

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N75070
NTSB Number IAD04LA013
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 Schweizer
Aircraft Model 269C
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1404
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 16 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 83
Airframe Hours 4811
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Herlihy Helicopters
Aircraft Owner Street Address 68 Stacy Haines Road
Aircraft Owner City Medford
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 08055
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code VAY
Departure City Medford
Departure State NJ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
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 --