Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vick, Texas 76902
Wednesday, April 8, 2009 1:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot he heard and felt a prolonged "thud" during cruise flight at 1,000 feet above ground level and 110 knots. The airframe "wallowed" laterally and he felt resistance in the cyclic flight control followed by a return of normal aircraft control. He made a precautionary landing. An examination of the airframe revealed that the left side vertical winglet of the horizontal stabilizer was missing, and the lower vertical fin leading edge was damaged. The vertical stabilizer was not recovered. No evidence was found to determine the initiation of the damage. An examination of the remaining helicopter systems revealed no anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Undetermined.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 4/8/2009
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 100
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Vick
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76902
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 551 Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 69
Weather Observation Facility ID KSJT
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 60
Time Zone of the weather observation UTC
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.01
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25565
NTSB Notification Source Operator
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 20 2009 12:07PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N295AE
NTSB Number CEN09IA254
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206
Aircraft Series Identifier L3
Aircraft Serial Number 51455
Certified Max Gross Weight 4150
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Mar 30 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 8817
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Air Evac EMS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 306 Davis Drive
Aircraft Owner City West Plains
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 65775
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Air Evac EMS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 306 Davis Drive
Operator City West Plains
Operator State MO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 65775
Operator Code --
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 --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Hot Hospital
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 35
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 03TS
Destination City Shannon Med Ctr
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 11 2009 12:39PM
User who most recently changed record evem-i
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight Yes
Medical Flight --