Burke Lakefront Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cleveland, Ohio 44114
Saturday, June 25, 2005 13:02 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was hovering the helicopter above an airport at 5,000 feet msl, when he heard a loud "bang." Witnesses on the ground also reported hearing the "bang," and a puff of white smoke was also observed. The helicopter yawed in a nose right direction, and pitched nose down. The pilot regained control of the helicopter about 1,500 feet msl, and subsequently performed an autorotation to a runway. The helicopter landed "hard," and the main rotor contacted the tail boom, separating it from the helicopter. Inspections of the helicopter following the accident revealed that the isolation mount had separated from the transmission and that the main drive shaft had separated. Examination of the main drive shaft, and its associated couplings, revealed failures consistent with an excessive angular displacement between the rotational axis of the drive shaft and the couplings. Examination of the helicopter's transmission compartment revealed damage to the structure around the main drive shaft and grease spray consistent with rotation prior to its failure. In addition, small pieces of metal and metallic dust were identified at the very front of the transmission deck.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A failure of the main drive shaft for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a total loss of engine power. A factor was pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/25/2005
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1302
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Cleveland
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 44114
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 413103N
Event Location Longitude 0814400W
Event Location Airport Burke Lakefront Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BKL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.5
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 583
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID BKL
Elevation of weather observation facility 583
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
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) 30.08
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) 19529
NTSB Notification Source FAA-GLOC
NTSB Notification Date Jun 25 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 25 2006 11:00AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Cleveland FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1212N
NTSB Number IAD05LA084
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 Bell
Aircraft Model 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 4189
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 3630
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Air Sansone LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Linden
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07036
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Helicopters Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Cahokia
Operator State IL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 62206
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code BKL
Departure City Cleveland
Departure State OH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code BKL
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Hover - out of ground effect
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 3 2006 3:35PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24R
Runway Length 6198
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --