Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Saulsville, West Virginia 25876
Friday, August 12, 2005 13:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While on approach to the landing area, the pilot could not see a windsock, and based his estimation of the wind by watching leaves on the trees. As he approached the landing area at a "normal to steep angle," and while stabilized at approximately 40 knots indicated airspeed, about 100 feet above the ground, the helicopter began a slow, un-commanded yaw to the right. The pilot responded by applying left anti-torque pedal; however, the helicopter continued to yaw to the right. The pilot observed that the engine and rotor rpm were "out of the green," but felt that he could not enter an autorotation due to a power line that was below. He instead increased the throttle, and the helicopter continued to yaw to the right. About 10 feet above the ground, and after about 270 degrees of yaw, the helicopter descended rapidly and impacted the ground, seriously injuring the passenger. Examination of the helicopter following the accident revealed that the tail rotor had sustained impact damage to both blades, and that the tail rotor drive shaft was fractured at the coupling hub. Examination of the fractured portions of the coupling hub revealed signatures consistent with a torsional event, such as a tail rotor strike, and no evidence that the fracture surfaces were rubbing against each other under power. According to Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular 90-95, loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE) events typically occur in a low airspeed flight regime while maneuvering, such as on final approach to landing. Any maneuver that requires the pilot to operate at high-power, at low airspeed, and with a left crosswind or tailwind, creates an environment where unanticipated right yaw may occur. Additional factors that can influence the severity of the onset of LTE include increases in gross weight and density altitude, low indicated airspeeds, and power droop. Recovery from an LTE event should include the application of full left pedal, while simultaneously moving the cyclic forward to increase speed, and altitude permitting, a reduction in power.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate remedial action following a loss of control during the landing approach.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/12/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1330 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Saulsville |
| Event State | WEST VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 25876 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 373908N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0812700W |
| 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 | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 60 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BKW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2504 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 17 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| 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) | 4 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.1 |
| 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 | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 20102 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 19 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 31 2006 10:47AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Charleston FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5691B |
| NTSB Number | IAD05LA122 |
| 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 | Enstrom |
| Aircraft Model | 280C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1180 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2350 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 1 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 49 |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Marpat Aviation |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | Rt. 445 Box 161 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Switzer |
| Aircraft Owner State | WV |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 25647 |
| 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 | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Business |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 6L4 |
| Departure City | Logan |
| Departure State | WV |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1300 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | NONE |
| Destination City | Saulsville |
| Destination State | WV |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach - VFR pattern - final approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 23 2006 3:20PM |
| User who most recently changed record | MUZD |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |