Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Linden Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Linden, New Jersey 07036
Tuesady, September 13, 2005 12:45 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The helicopter was taxied to the fixed fuel pump, and engine power was reduced to idle. As the main rotor continued to turn, a lineman approached the helicopter from the 11 o'clock position. He initially bent down as he proceeded toward the helicopter, but suddenly stood upright, and was struck by the helicopter's rotor. The fueling operator conducted no formal training of lineman, and what "on-the-job training" was conducted, was not documented. On the lineman's application for employment he stated that he had previous experience operating in a military aviation environment. According to the accident helicopter's flight manual, "Some persons may have prior experience with helicopters for which approach from the front is preferred. Approach from the front of an S-76 is not permitted. It is essential that all persons are properly informed regarding the safe approach/departure angles of the S-76."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The lineman's failure to maintain adequate clearance from the main rotor system. A factor was his lack of familiarity with the accident helicopter make and model.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/13/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1245 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Linden |
| Event State | NEW JERSEY |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 07036 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 403702N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0741440W |
| Event Location Airport | Linden Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | LDJ |
| 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 | 23 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1251 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 45 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | EWR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 18 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 5 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4500 |
| 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) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 16 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 190 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.01 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 19531 |
| NTSB Notification Source | EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 13 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 | Teterboro FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N14CS |
| NTSB Number | IAD05LA135 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | None |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Sikorsky |
| Aircraft Model | S-76B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 760312 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 11700 |
| 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 | 14 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 69 |
| Airframe Hours | 3504 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | CS Helicopter LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | New York |
| Aircraft Owner State | NY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 10016 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | ExcelAire Service Inc. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Ronkonkoma |
| Operator State | NY |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 11779 |
| 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) | Positioning |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | LDJ |
| Departure City | Linden |
| Departure State | NJ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | HPN |
| Destination City | White Plains |
| Destination State | NY |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Standing - idling rotors |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 3 2006 3:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | MUZD |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |