Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Delta Junction, Alaska 99737
Saturday, March 6, 2010 12:55 AST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that he was in cruise flight when he heard a “pop” and the engine lost all power. He initiated an autorotation to a clearing, but was unable to reach it and had to land in an area with trees. The helicopter struck treetops during the descent and landed hard, sustaining structural damage. A postaccident inspection, including running the engine in a test cell, disclosed ample uncontaminated fuel, and no evidence of any preimpact mechanical problems with the helicopter’s engine or systems.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A total loss of engine power in flight for undetermined reasons.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/6/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1255 |
| Event Time Zone | Atlantic Standard Time |
| Event City | Delta Junction |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99737 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 640519N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1454736W |
| 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 | 1253 Atlantic Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 161 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PABI |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1291 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 6 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | AST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | -3 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 300 |
| 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) | 29.18 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 27855 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Anchorage FAA, ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 29 2010 1:22AM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N26TC |
| NTSB Number | ANC10LA020 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| 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 | MCDONNELL DOUGLAS HELICOPTER |
| Aircraft Model | 369E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0489E |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3000 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 3 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 15 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 19 |
| Airframe Hours | 10381 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | AURORA AVIATION SERVICES INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO BOX 110 |
| Aircraft Owner City | DELTA JUNCTION |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99737-0110 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | AURORA AVIATION SERVICES INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | PO BOX 110 |
| Operator City | DELTA JUNCTION |
| Operator State | AK |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 99737-0110 |
| Operator Code | KS1A |
| 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 | KS1A502K |
| 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 | Healy |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1220 |
| Departure Time Zone | AST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | AK09 |
| Destination City | Delta Junction |
| Destination State | AK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 29 2010 1:22AM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| 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 | -- |