Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Mullinville, Kansas 67109
Wednesday, August 22, 2007 12:26 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that as he was circling the landing zone, the helicopter felt like it was being "pushed to the northeast and began to shutter." Just as a semi truck passed beneath the helicopter, the pilot stated that the helicopter "went limp" and subsequently the low rotor rpm warning horn activated. The pilot leveled the helicopter from a slight bank and lowered the collective, which silenced the low rotor warning, but the pilot stated that the helicopter "still felt real sluggish." After maneuvering the helicopter away from ground personnel, the helicopter lost power again and the low rotor rpm warning activated a second time. The pilot stated that he set up the helicopter in an autorotative profile and remembers flaring just prior to the initial impact. The pilot stated that he did not lose tail rotor effectiveness. Medical personnel onboard the helicopter stated that during the descent, they noticed power lines and thought that "at out current angle of descent we were going to catch the wires." Several witnesses on the ground stated that as the helicopter passed over the semi truck, it lost control and contacted power lines before impacting the ground. Examination of the wreckage revealed wire damage to the main rotor and tail boom, as well as substantial damage to the fuselage. Further examination of the helicopter disclosed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomaly. Weather in the area was reported by local authorities as strong gusty winds.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain main rotor rpm resulting in an uncontrolled descent, collision with transmission wires, and a hard landing. A contributing factor was the tranmission wires.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/22/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1226 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Mullinville |
| Event State | KANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 67109 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 373520N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0992738W |
| 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 | 1252 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 290 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DDC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2594 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 32 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 33 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 16 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 24 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 36 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.83 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 23301 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-Central Region |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 22 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 31 2008 11:52AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Wichita, Kansas |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1813 |
| NTSB Number | DEN07LA142 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Bell |
| Aircraft Model | 206-L4 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 52335 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4450 |
| 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 | Aug 1 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 56 |
| Airframe Hours | 466 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | GM Leasing Co, LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1318 Smede Hwy |
| Aircraft Owner City | Broussard |
| Aircraft Owner State | LA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 70518 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Air MD LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 1100 Airport Rd. |
| Operator City | Hutchinson |
| Operator State | KS |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 67501 |
| 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 | -- |
| Departure City | DODGE CITY |
| Departure State | KS |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1200 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Mullinville |
| Destination State | KS |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 19 2008 8:56AM |
| 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 | Yes |
| Medical Flight | -- |