Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Selfridge Air Nat'l Guard Base Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Mount Clemens, Michigan 48036
Wednesday, July 28, 2004 13:32 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The helicopter impacted terrain while attempting to land at a National Guard Base following a reported vibration in the helicopter. The pilot contacted air traffic control (ATC) stating he was 9 miles south of the base and requesting a clearance to transition through their airspace. The pilot was cleared through the airspace. When the helicopter was about 1 mile south of the base, the pilot reported to ATC that he was "... picking up a vibration." The controller asked the pilot to repeat the transmission and the pilot stated, "Yes sir the helicopter is starting to shake more violently sir." The controller informed the pilot that he could land at the base if he declared an emergency. Approximately 3 1/2 minutes later when the helicopter was 2 miles north of the base at 1,800 feet mean sea level (msl), the pilot reported that he was coming back to land. ATC cleared the pilot to land requesting if at all possible that the pilot land on the south side of the airport. The air traffic controllers viewed the helicopter through binoculars. They reported that they did not notice anything unusual with the helicopter and it appeared normal. One controller stated the helicopter crossed the northern end of the airport at 1,600 feet msl [1,020 above ground level (agl)]. Witnesses reported hearing the engine as the helicopter approached the airport. They stated that once the helicopter was approaching the south side of the airport, the nose pitched up then down. Witnesses described the descent angle as being between 45 and 70 degrees nose down. One controller estimated the descent began at an altitude of 1,400 to 1,500 feet msl [820 to 920 feet agl]. The helicopter impacted the grass leaving a wreckage trail approximately 299 feet long. Examination of the airframe, flight control systems, and engine did not reveal any failure/malfunction which would have resulted in the accident. A sound spectrum examination was performed on a re-recording of the ATC communications to document engine, rotor, or vibration sounds on the tape. This examination revealed that the rotor system background sounds were consistent with the main rotor rating at about 101% rpm. These sounds were consistent throughout the recording including the transmissions after the pilot reported a vibration. In addition, the tape was examined to determine if any airframe or rotor system vibrations could be identified. There were no additional sounds or vibrations identified during any of the transmissions.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of control in flight for undetermined reasons.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/28/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1332 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Mount Clemens |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 48036 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 423628N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0825012W |
| Event Location Airport | Selfridge Air Nat'l Guard Base |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MTC |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 0 |
| Airport Elevation | 580 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1355 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MTC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 580 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 14 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.04 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 17834 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 28 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1304 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 8 2005 12:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Detroit, MI |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N103MH |
| NTSB Number | CHI04FA197 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Robinson |
| Aircraft Model | R22 Alpha |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0454 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1370 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 10 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 17 |
| Airframe Hours | 5315 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | David M. Lawler |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Rochester |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 48306 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Michael J. Morton |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Troy |
| Operator State | MI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 48085 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PTK |
| Departure City | Pontiac |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1245 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | MTC |
| Destination City | Mount Clemens |
| Destination State | MI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 14 2005 1:00PM |
| User who most recently changed record | SULP |
| 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 | -- |