Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Whiteville, North Carolina 28472
Tuesady, April 24, 2007 8:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilots, the helicopter was at an altitude between 400 and 500 feet above ground level and at an airspeed between 75 and 80 knots when the engine lost power. The instructor-pilot took control of the helicopter, jettisoned the external load, and autorotated to a nearby corn field. He said that the engine "didn't sound like it was running and the engine out was activated." The helicopter touched down and slid 6 to 8 feet when one of the skids dug into the earth. The helicopter turned to the left about 45 degrees and rolled over on its right side. It was later found that the power turbine governor (PTG) spring had fractured in fatigue. The fracture originated from a drawing mark and was the result of deficiencies in the manufacturing process. The PTG spring "provides force opposing those exerted by rotating flyweights on the position of the governor lever. Failure of the spring would result in a false pneumatic signal to the fuel control and a corresponding reduction in fuel flow. The effect of the false pneumatic signal would be a pronounced reduction in fuel flow. At the reduced fuel flow, the engine could not sustain flight, and the symptoms of the reduced fuel flow might easily be interpreted by the pilot as an engine failure."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A partial loss of engine power due to fatigue fracture of the power turbine governor spring, causing a false pneumatic signal to the fuel control and a corresponding reduction in fuel flow.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/24/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 830 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Whiteville |
| Event State | NORTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 28472 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 340622N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0784209W |
| 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 | 838 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KCPC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 99 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 220 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 14 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.19 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25020 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern Region ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 24 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 12 2009 9:53AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Greensboro FSDO-05 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N11AS |
| NTSB Number | ATL07LA079 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | HUGHES |
| Aircraft Model | 369D |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 790541D |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3550 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 12 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 99 |
| Airframe Hours | 7639 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Aerial Solutions Incorporated |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 7074 Ramsey Ford Road |
| Aircraft Owner City | Tabor City |
| Aircraft Owner State | NC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 28463 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Aerial Solutions Incorporated |
| 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 | USA |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | CPC |
| Departure City | Whiteville |
| Departure State | NC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 815 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | CPC |
| Destination City | Whiteville |
| Destination State | NC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 12 2009 9:59AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |