Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Palm Beach County Park Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Boynton Beach, Florida 33426
Tuesady, November 11, 2008 6:10 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Approximately 8 minutes after the helicopter departed, the engine lost power and the pilot initiated an autorotation. To clear powerlines near the forced landing area, the pilot used collective to extend the helicopter's glide. The helicopter then touched down hard, severing the tail boom. Examination of the engine revealed that the "B"-nut for the pressure compressor (Pc) line from the power turbine governor to the fuel control unit was detached. Prior to an engine test run at the manufacturer's facility, the "B"-nut was placed in the same manner in which it was found at the accident site, with no thread engagement. The engine was started, warmed up, and throttle advanced to 65 percent N1. The engine experienced an uncommanded power reduction and decelerated to a sub-idle setting. A visual examination showed that the "B"-nut had loosened entirely and there was a gap between the Pc line and the "T"-fitting. After the Pc line was reinstalled and the "B"-nut was tightened with the proper torque, the engine was restarted and ran within production test standards. The Rolls-Royce operation and maintenance manual gave a warning that "failure to properly install, align and tighten fuel, oil, and air fittings and tubes could result in an engine failure." On November 8, 2008, an entry in the engine logbook indicated that the engine gearbox had been opened and inspected this process required the "B"-nut to be loosened and the lines separated to access the gearbox.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of engine power due to an undertorqued air line fitting to the fuel control.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/11/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 610 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Boynton Beach |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33426 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 263256N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0800421W |
| Event Location Airport | Palm Beach County Park Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | LNA |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 4 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 14 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 619 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 351 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PBI |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 19 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Dawn |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 4100 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2600 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 60 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.02 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25321 |
| NTSB Notification Source | NTSB Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 5 2009 11:27PM |
| User who most recently changed record | muzd |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N281CB |
| NTSB Number | ERA09LA047 |
| 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 | 206B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3303 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3350 |
| 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 | 5 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 9 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 133 |
| Airframe Hours | 12508 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Air Coastal Helicoters Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Lantana |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33462 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Air Coastal Helicoters Inc. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Lantana |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 33462 |
| Operator Code | JJWA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | External Load |
| 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) | Aerial Observation |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | LNA |
| Departure City | Lantana |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 602 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | LNA |
| Destination City | Lantana |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 5 2009 11:27PM |
| User who most recently changed record | muzd |
| 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 | -- |