Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

La Porte, Texas 77571
Saturday, July 31, 2004 19:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The 10,100-hour pilot reported that during the flight, he heard a loud bang followed by a subsequent decrease in engine and rotor rpm. The pilot increased the throttle and regained engine and rotor rpm. The pilot added that during a precautionary landing, the engine lost power and the helicopter landed hard in an open field. A witness adjacent to the accident site reported seeing the helicopter strike a power line just prior to landing. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies. The reason for the loss of engine power was undetermined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/31/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City La Porte
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77571
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 294009N
Event Location Longitude 0950300W
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1850 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 233
Weather Observation Facility ID KEFD
Elevation of weather observation facility 32
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 27
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.88
Density Altitude (feet) 2094
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17166
NTSB Notification Source SWRCC
NTSB Notification Date Jul 31 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 27 2005 3:52PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Houston, Texas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7892B
NTSB Number FTW04LA198
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 Bell
Aircraft Model 47-G2
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 2028
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 55
Airframe Hours 3000
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Dan Marrouf
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10615 West Main Street
Aircraft Owner City La Porte
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77571
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Dwain Ray McDonald
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 9520 N Garden Drive
Operator City Beaumont
Operator State TX
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code 77705
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 --
Departure City La Porte
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Apr 7 2006 3:41PM
User who most recently changed record JOHB
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight --
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --