Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ponce, Puerto Rico 00715
Thursday, January 12, 2006 3:43 AST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
After the patient was placed aboard the helicopter, the pilot started the engines and performed a hover check. He then moved the helicopter forward to gain airspeed and initiated a climb to cruise altitude. After reaching an altitude of about 100 feet, the main rotor rpm light and audio warning system activated, and the number 2 engine N1 rpm and torque began to decay. The pilot attempted to regain normal engine parameters, but was unable to regain engine rpm. The pilot maneuvered to avoid several light poles as he attempted to land in a parking lot. By this time, main rotor rpm had bled off sufficiently to prevent the hydraulic pumps from pressurizing the hydraulic system, and all flight controls locked is a slight right banked attitude. This prevented the helicopter from reaching the parking lot. The helicopter impacted a construction area in a right bank, nose down attitude. An on-site and later follow-up investigation by FAA and Rolls-Royce investigators revealed a B-nut on the Pc line connecting the power turbine governor (PTGOV) to the fuel control unit (FCU) had become loose at the T-fitting end. It was partially torqued and could be moved with the fingers. The female end was threaded onto the male end three-quarters of a turn. There was no cross-threading. The torque stripe was broken. According to Rolls-Royce Allison, "This line serves a critical function to the engine control system and when leakage occurs will cause the engine to roll back to an idle or near idle condition."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loose B-nut on the PC line connecting the power turbine governor (PTGOV) to the fuel control unit (FCU) that created a leak and caused the engine to roll back to an idle condition, causing a low hydraulic system pressure and subsequent control lock. A contributing factor was the unsuitable terrain (construction area) on which to make a forced landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/12/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 343 |
| Event Time Zone | Atlantic Standard Time |
| Event City | Ponce |
| Event State | PUERTO RICO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 00715 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | -- |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | -- |
| Event Location Latitude | 180000N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0663300W |
| 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 | 350 Atlantic Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TJPS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 23 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | AST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 120 |
| 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) | 29.98 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 22787 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ATL Comm. Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jan 12 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 20 2007 6:59AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N495LF |
| NTSB Number | MIA06LA044 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | MBB |
| Aircraft Model | BO-105S |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | S645 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5512 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 7566 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | MSE Air Group Inc., |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. Box 9066313 |
| Aircraft Owner City | San Juan |
| Aircraft Owner State | PR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 00917 |
| 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 | Q6WA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| 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 | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger Only |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Ponce |
| Departure State | PR |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 343 |
| Departure Time Zone | AST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | San Juan |
| Destination State | PR |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 29 2007 2:25PM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | Yes |
| Medical Flight | -- |