Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Doctor's Hospital Heliport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Augusta, Georgia 30909
Friday, July 11, 2008 10:50 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot described ascending to a hover over the helipad, conducting a power check, and determining that the helicopter was "ready for flight." The helicopter departed in a northwesterly direction, climbed to an altitude of about 30 feet, where "both engines lost power." The pilot performed a right pedal turn and maneuvered the helicopter back toward the helipad. The helicopter landed short of the helipad, straddling a fence that separated the pad from an adjacent road. The helicopter's main landing gear sustained minor damage, and the helicopter's skin was punctured in a non-structural area. Data downloaded from the digital engine control units (DECU) revealed that a stepper motor fault on the number 2 engine prevented that engine from accelerating above idle speed, and that the engine remained at idle throughout the accident flight. The data further revealed that the number 1 engine was accelerated to flight, but that the “102%NR” switch was not selected prior to takeoff as required by the flight manual. Neither was the number 2 engine trim switch, nor the number 2 engine power unit actuated by the pilot, which was required to accelerate that engine after the stepper motor fault. The number 2 Digital Engine Control Unit (DECU), the number 2 Hydro-Mechanical Unit (HMU), and the wire harnesses (Control and Monitoring – Regulation) that connected them were tested. The DECU and the HMU both functioned as designed with no faults noted. The regulation wire harness was tested and impedance was detected on pin 3 of the stepper motor plug. The jacket of the harness was removed, which revealed "moist deposits" and corrosion on the metallic ground shield. Removal of the shield revealed more deposits and corrosion, as well as cracked and burned insulation on wire 3. The exposed wire on pin 3 allowed a short circuit to ground which resulted in the stepper motor fault. The helicopter was not equipped with an optional "Engine Out" kit that, if installed, provided the pilot with an “ENGINE OUT” audio signal in case, during the takeoff phase, one or both the engines were in IDLE or in OFF.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The lack of available engine power and subsequent loss of rotor rpm due to the pilot’s departing with one engine at idle. Contributing to the incident was a corroded engine control wiring harness.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 7/11/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1050 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Augusta |
| Event State | GEORGIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 30909 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 332909N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0824502W |
| Event Location Airport | Doctor's Hospital Heliport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 8GA4 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 400 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1053 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 240 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KAGS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 144 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 8 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2300 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 23 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 310 |
| 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) | 30.09 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26278 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 11 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 9 2010 12:32PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Atlanta, GA |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N109DU |
| NTSB Number | NYC08IA244 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | AGUSTA |
| Aircraft Model | A109E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 11503 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 6238 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 5 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 17 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 3 |
| Airframe Hours | 2800 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | AirMed, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Augusta |
| Aircraft Owner State | GA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 30909 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | AirMed, Inc. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Augusta |
| Operator State | GA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 30909 |
| 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) | Positioning |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 8GA4 |
| Departure City | AUGUSTA |
| Departure State | GA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1050 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 6A7 |
| Destination City | BREVARD |
| Destination State | NC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 9 2010 12:33PM |
| 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 | Yes |
| Medical Flight | -- |