Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Ocala International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ocala, Florida 34474
Wednesday, March 17, 2004 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that after lifting off a platform to a 3-5 foot hover with all engine indications in the green and the governor on, the engine experienced a loss of power and began descending. The helicopter had drifted to the left a bit off the dolly and one of the skids contacted the dolly and the helicopter rolled onto its left side but came to rest on its right side. The pilot had the helicopter recovered and placed back in his hangar before NTSB or FAA notification. Numerous attempts were made by the NTSB investigator-in-charge to gain access to the hangar for the purpose of removing the engine from the helicopter for an attempted engine run; the pilot/owner did not respond to these attempts. Review of the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report form submitted by the pilot revealed that the yes and no blocks were marked in the area titled, "Mechanical Malfunction Failure." According to a preliminary police report, after being notified by an anonymous phone call, they arrived at the airport, opened the hangar, and noted the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from inside the helicopter. Examination of the helicopter while it was in the hangar was performed by an FAA airworthiness inspector. The inspector reported that the helicopter sustained substantial damage.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of the pilot to maintain control of the helicopter following a reported loss of engine power after picking up to a hover from a dolly.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/17/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 30 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Ocala |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 34474 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 291022N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0821327W |
| Event Location Airport | Ocala International Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KOCF |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 89 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 53 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KOCF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 89 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Bright |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 800 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.93 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15736 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 17 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 707 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 30 2004 12:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Orlando, Florida |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N7194S |
| NTSB Number | MIA04LA061 |
| 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 | Robinson |
| Aircraft Model | R44 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0768 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1000 |
| 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 | Dec 29 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 474.4 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Alexander P. Williams |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1901 S.W. 27th Street |
| Aircraft Owner City | Ocala |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 34474 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | KOCF |
| Departure City | Ocala |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 30 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | KOCF |
| Destination City | Ocala |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Descent |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 10 2004 3:24PM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| 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 | -- |