Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Lamesa Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
O'donnell, Texas 79351
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 14:00 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was conducting a predator control mission when he spotted wild hogs in an approximate 20-acre field of Salt Cedar trees. The pilot made a quick stop at an out-of-ground effect (OGE) hover in an attempt to move the hogs out in the open. The pilot stated that the low rotor RPM horn and light activated. He immediately stopped to regain rotor RPM. As the aircraft approached the edge of the trees towards an open field, the wind stopped and the rotor dropped to approximately 90 percent. The pilot observed an increase in airframe vibration followed by a hard left roll. The helicopter main rotor blades struck the ground in a 90-degree bank and came to rest on its left side. The pilot was not injured and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The pilot stated that the approximate gross weight at the time of the accident was 1,370 pounds. The helicopter performance charts indicated maximum weight for out of ground effect hover was 1,320 pounds for the weather conditions.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain control while performing a quick stop maneuver to an out of ground effect (OGE) hover. Contributing to the accident was the high density altitude and near calm wind condition.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/25/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1400 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | O'Donnell |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 79351 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 325513N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1010434W |
| Event Location Airport | Lamesa Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 2F5 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 10 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 2999 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1405 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 210 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KGNC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2995 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 37 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| 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) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 360 |
| 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 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KGNC 251945Z AUTO 29005KT 10SM CLR 27/M07 A3001 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25299 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Regional Operations Center, FT |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 20 2009 12:49PM |
| User who most recently changed record | guzj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N387AC |
| NTSB Number | CEN09CA180 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| 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 | 1631 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1370 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1756 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | CHILES DON L |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO BOX 1331 |
| Aircraft Owner City | LAMESA |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 79331-1331 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Ronald E. Bulber |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 164 AIRPORT RD |
| Operator City | PORTALES |
| Operator State | NM |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 88130-9108 |
| 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) | Other Work Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 2F5 |
| Departure City | Lemesa |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | -- |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 2F5 |
| Destination City | Lemesa |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 1 2009 12:29PM |
| User who most recently changed record | gamw |
| 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 | -- |