Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Grantsville, Maryland 21536
Wednesday, January 6, 2010 18:30 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While en route to the destination airport, the pilot made a stop to fuel the helicopter and check the weather. According to the pilot, no precipitation was predicted for his route of flight, the winds were expected from the northwest at 15 knots, and a cloud ceiling of 2,500 feet broken was forecasted. He stated that no specific windshear or turbulence was forecasted. The pilot continued the flight and noted that the wind became stronger over the mountains. He decided he would land the helicopter after he passed over the second ridge; however, as he continued, "strong windshear" lifted the helicopter and then "dropped it to the ground." The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical anomalies with the helicopter. He also reported approximately 600 hours of total flight experience, all of which were in make and model of the accident helicopter. Examination of recorded weather information revealed AIRMET TANGO for turbulence was in effect for the pilot's route of flight.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's loss of aircraft control after encountering turbulence over a mountain range. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to obtain an Airmet for turbulence along the route of flight prior to departure and while enroute.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/6/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1830 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Grantsville |
| Event State | MARYLAND |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 21536 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 394106N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0791110W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1825 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 230 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | 2G4 |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2933 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 200 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 2 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -8 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -10 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 270 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 16 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.89 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26826 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 27 2010 4:41PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3275M |
| NTSB Number | ERA10CA109 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | SCHWEIZER |
| Aircraft Model | 269C-1 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0159 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1750 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 6 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 7193 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | AERIAL RESOURCES LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 5172 W MILITARY HWY STE E |
| Aircraft Owner City | CHESAPEAKE |
| Aircraft Owner State | VA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 23321-1100 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | AERIAL RESOURCES LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 5172 W MILITARY HWY STE E |
| Operator City | CHESAPEAKE |
| Operator State | VA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 23321-1100 |
| 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 | OMH |
| Departure City | Orange |
| Departure State | VA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1600 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | FWQ |
| Destination City | Monogahela |
| Destination State | PA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 21 2010 11:29AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| 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 | -- |