Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Newgrange
Monday, April 5, 2004 8:05 UTC

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On April 5, 2004, about 0805 coordinated universal time, a Bell 206B, G-AYMW, sustained substantial damage following a loss of tail rotor authority while conducting aerial photography operations, which resulted in a forced landing near Newgrange, Co Meath, Ireland. The helicopter was operated by Irish Helicopters, Dublin, Ireland. The pilot sustained serious injuries, and the two passengers aboard sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight. The flight originated at the operator's base of operations, located at Westpoint, Dublin Airport, Dublin, about 0715. This report is for informational purposes only. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Ireland. Any further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Air Accident Investigation Unit Department of Transport Transport House 44 Kildare Street Dublin 2 Ireland www.aaiu.ie

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/5/2004
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 805
Event Time Zone Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Event City Newgrange
Event State --
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID EIDW
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height 3500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 30
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 Foreign
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source AAIU
NTSB Notification Date Aug 20 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 17 2006 2:53PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number --
NTSB Number ANC04WA107
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Non-U.S., Commercial
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire --
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bell
Aircraft Model 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number --
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Irish Helicopters, LTD.
Aircraft Owner Street Address Westpoint Hangar, Coulty, Swords, Co.
Aircraft Owner City Dublin
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country EI
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
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 Westpoint Hangar, Coultry, Swords, Co.
Operator City Dublin
Operator State --
Operator Country EI
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Dublin
Departure State --
Departure Country EI
Departure Time 715
Departure Time Zone UTC
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Newgrange
Destination State --
Destination Country EI
Specific Phase of Flight Hover - out of ground effect
Report sent to ICAO? Yes
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Sep 15 2004 12:16PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --