Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Melrose, New Mexico 88124
Monday, November 13, 2006 11:10 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The helicopter was in cruise flight approximately 600 feet agl (above ground level) when it experienced "moderate to heavy" vibration. The pilot said he knew the tail rotor had failed because the anti-torque pedals would go to the floor with no effect. He also knew the tail rotor had failed when he attempted to make a run-on landing. As they got nearer to the ground, the check pilot "got on the controls" and would not relinquish them. The check pilot pulled back on the cyclic and slowed the helicopter, which immediately started "spinning violently to the right." The pilot-in-command "slammed the collective down" in an attempt to hit the ground hard and turn the helicopter over and stop it from spinning. He tried to roll off the throttle (which is the proper procedure for loss of tail rotor thrust in accordance with the Pilot Operating Handbook), but the check pilot was on the controls and he could not override him. The pilot-in-command turned off the main fuel control in an attempt to shut down the engine and stop the helicopter from spinning. The helicopter impacted terrain and rolled over on its side. Examination of the helicopter revealed both tail rotor blades were missing. The 90-degree gearbox was still attached and the tail rotor drive shaft showed no damage. Despite an extensive search, the tail rotor blades were not recovered. No other anomalies were found.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the in-flight failure and separation of both tail rotor blades. Contributing factors in this accident were the check pilot interferring with the controls and his failure to relinquish control to the pilot-in-command.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/13/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1110 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Melrose |
| Event State | NEW MEXICO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 88124 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 343617N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1033604W |
| 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 | 1055 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 119 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CVS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 4659 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 22 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| 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) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 25 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 0 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 300 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 14 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 19 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.75 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 21172 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-Southwest Region |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 13 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 26 2007 9:33AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Lubbock, Texas |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N24CF |
| NTSB Number | DEN07LA024 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Bell |
| Aircraft Model | UH-1H |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 66-01042 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 1 2006 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 12 |
| Airframe Hours | 6109 |
| ELT Installed | -- |
| ELT Activated | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | -- |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | World Jet, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1020 N.W. 62nd St. |
| Aircraft Owner City | Fort Lauderdale |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33309 |
| 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 | WDJA |
| 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 | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Business |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | GGG |
| Departure City | Longview |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | ABQ |
| Destination City | Albuquerque |
| Destination State | NM |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Descent - emergency |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 10 2007 11:28AM |
| User who most recently changed record | BOWL |
| 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 | -- |