Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Homedale, Idaho 83628
Monday, July 26, 2004 9:00 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The helicopter was conducting corn pollination operations. The pilot reported that he experienced an engine failure while executing a turn to reverse direction. He further reported that there was a loss of main rotor RPM, and although the pilot attempted to increase rotor RPM by lowering the collective and rolling the throttle "into the overtravel spring," he was unsuccessful in recovering from the low RPM condition. The helicopter landed hard, and the main rotor blades severed the helicopter's tail boom. Initial examination of the engine revealed low compression readings on the cylinders. Partial disassembly of the engine indicated that the low compression was due to loose carbon deposits found on the seating surface of the valves and seats. The carbon was most likely knocked loose during the impact. No other anomalies were noted during the engine examination, and no signatures or conditions were observed consistent with any pre-mishap mechanical malfunction. The reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of engine power for an undetermined reason while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in a hard landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/26/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 900 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Homedale |
| Event State | IDAHO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 83628 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 433653N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1165517W |
| 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 | 855 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | EUL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2431 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 13 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| 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) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.01 |
| 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) | 17360 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 26 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1211 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 24 2005 9:13AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Boise, ID |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N62126 |
| NTSB Number | SEA04LA146 |
| 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 | S1440 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 13 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 56 |
| Airframe Hours | 3928 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Phoenix Investments LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 14284 W Lewis Lane |
| Aircraft Owner City | Nampa |
| Aircraft Owner State | ID |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 83686 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Silverhawk Aviation LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 4317 Aviation Way |
| Operator City | Caldwell |
| Operator State | ID |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 83605 |
| 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) | Other Work Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | EUL |
| Departure City | Caldwell |
| Departure State | ID |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 900 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| 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 | Hover |
| 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 | -- |