Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Mazzuca Heliport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Pottsville, Pennsylvania 17901
Friday, May 30, 2008 20:50 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
After taking off on a helicopter emergency medical service mission, the twin-engine helicopter climbed approximately 75 feet. The pilot lowered the nose, but the helicopter would not climb or accelerate normally. The pilot saw 125 percent on one of his gauges, but was not sure which gauge it was as he was looking outside. A "gong" sounded, similar to what the pilot had heard when doing "max takeoffs," but he did not hear an engine-out horn or see any warning lights. The pilot also noticed that one torque indication was declining to "near zero" percent, and the helicopter began to yaw. The pilot was able to correct the yawing moment with anti-torque inputs, and remembered lowering the collective and "pulling pitch" before the helicopter impacted the ground in a level attitude. The No. 1 engine was running as the pilot exited the helicopter, but the No. 2 engine was not. Examinations at the accident site revealed that the helicopter, after lifting off from the heliport, flew out of ground effect over down-sloping terrain, settled, then struck a parked semi-trailer about 80 feet below the heliport. No preimpact mechanical anomalies of the helicopter, engines, or engine switches were found. As part of the pre-takeoff confirmation check, the pilot was required to ensure that both main engine switches were in the FLIGHT position; however, onboard recorded data revealed that the No. 2 main engine switch was in the IDLE position during the takeoff.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to ensure that both engine switches were in the FLIGHT position for takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/30/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 2050 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Pottsville |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 17901 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 404110N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0761237W |
| Event Location Airport | Mazzuca Heliport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PS95 |
| 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 | 810 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2054 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 160 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | RDG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 344 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 22 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Dusk |
| 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) | 15 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 210 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 27240 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern Region Operations |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 30 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 25 2010 10:55AM |
| User who most recently changed record | broda |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Harrisburg, FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N238AM |
| NTSB Number | NYC08FA198 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Eurocopter Deutschland |
| Aircraft Model | EC 135 P2+ |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0565 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 6415 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 29 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 12 |
| Airframe Hours | 162 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Wilmington Trust Co Trustee |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1100 N. Market Street |
| Aircraft Owner City | Wilmington |
| Aircraft Owner State | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19890 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Air Methods Corporation |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 7301 S Peoria St |
| Operator City | Englewood |
| Operator State | CO |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 80112 |
| Operator Code | QMLA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | 253U |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Positioning |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | PS95 |
| Departure City | Pottsville |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2050 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Wayne Township |
| Destination State | PA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 27 2010 10:02AM |
| User who most recently changed record | broda |
| 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 | Yes |
| Medical Flight | -- |