Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19114
Monday, July 17, 2006 12:00 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While en route to the destination airport, the helicopter's hydraulic system caution light momentarily illuminated and the associated aural warning sounded. The pilot elected to continue to the intended destination, and nearing the runway, the helicopter lost hydraulic boost. The pilot subsequently performed a run-on landing to a runway. Following the incident, a company mechanic removed the hydraulic pump and pulley, and found that the hydraulic pump drive shaft splines and the coupling sleeve exhibited "excessive wear." A new hydraulic pump was installed, the helicopter was test flown, and was then returned to service. About 3 weeks later, while flying the same helicopter, the pilot experienced a similar series of events, resulting in another run-on landing and no damage to the helicopter. Following that incident, the hydraulic system test switch was identified as faulty, and was subsequently replaced. After a check by a mechanic and another company pilot, the helicopter was test flown with no discrepancies noted and returned to service. Examination of the hydraulic pump drive shaft and coupling sleeve revealed that while the mating splines of both components were severely worn, there was enough spline material remaining to enable the coupling sleeve to drive the hydraulic pump. Examination and functional testing of the hydraulic switch removed from the helicopter revealed no anomalies.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of hydraulic boost for undetermined reasons.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 7/17/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1200 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Philadelphia |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 19114 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 400454N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0750038W |
| 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) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PNE |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | -- |
| 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) | 33 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 20 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 250 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.99 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 21816 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 18 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 25 2007 12:22PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Philadelphia FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N606TV |
| NTSB Number | NYC06IA176 |
| 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 | -- |
| Aircraft Explosion | -- |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Eurocopter |
| Aircraft Model | AS-350 BA |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1449 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4630 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 1 2006 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 5632 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | U S Helicopters Inc |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO Box 625 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Marshville |
| Aircraft Owner State | NC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 28103 |
| 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) | Positioning |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | NONE |
| Departure City | Philadelphia |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1155 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | PNE |
| Destination City | Philadelphia |
| Destination State | PA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach - VFR pattern - base leg/base to final |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 17 2007 10:59AM |
| User who most recently changed record | MUZD |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |