Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Plant City Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Plant City, Florida 33563
Wednesday, December 12, 2007 18:15 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Shortly after departure, the pilot noted that more than "usual" forward cyclic and collective application was required to maintain the helicopter's desired airspeed, but that a scan of the instruments assured him that "All was okay." While cruising at 700 feet, and 70 knots, the pilot detected a strong odor of burning rubber, a loss of power, illumination of the clutch warning light, and yawing of the helicopter. The pilot entered autorotation, turned to a "dark, open area," and descended into trees. Examination of the helicopter at the scene revealed that the drive belts were twisted, torn, and off of their respective pulleys. Examination and testing revealed that the clutch actuator functioned as designed, but the alignment of the drive belt sheaves and pulleys could not be determined due to impact damage. In a follow-up interview, the pilot stated that during engine start, 10 to 15 seconds transpired between the times that he actuated the clutch switch, and the main rotor blades turned. According to the pilot's operating handbook starting engine checklist, the rotor blades should turn less than 5 seconds after engagement of the clutch switch. According to a note in the manufacturer's maintenance manual, V-Belt Installation, "A delay of more than 5 seconds between clutch switch engagement and rotor turning indicates excessive slack."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of rotor drive due to excessive slack and breakage of the drive belts. Contributing to the accident was the pilot departing in the helicopter after the rotor engagement time during engine start exceeded the time outlined in the pilot's operating handbook.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/12/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1815 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Plant City |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33563 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 280000N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0820931W |
| Event Location Airport | Plant City Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PCM |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 2 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 154 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1825 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PCM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 154 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 2 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| 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) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 90 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.17 |
| 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 | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25246 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 12 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 23 2009 12:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Orlando, FL |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N7188J |
| NTSB Number | NYC08LA060 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | ROBINSON HELICOPTER |
| Aircraft Model | R22 BETA |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3094 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2400 |
| 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 | Sep 14 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 73 |
| Airframe Hours | 2272 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SPITZER MATTHEW DBA |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | HAYWARD |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 94542-1401 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Tim Bias |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Lakeland |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 33811 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | LAL |
| Departure City | Lakeland |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1810 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | PCM |
| Destination City | PLANT CITY |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency descent/landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 28 2009 10:01AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |