Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Gulf Of Mexico, Louisiana
Monday, July 12, 2010 14:28 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot, the helicopter was on final approach to a platform in the Gulf of Mexico when he raised the collective to perform a go-around. However, the helicopter did not respond properly; rather, its performance and torque indications remained fixed at 45 percent. The pilot began a slow climb and diverted to a land-based airport at a cruise speed of about 60 knots. Because of a complete loss of collective pitch control, the pilot made a running landing on the runway at the airport, touching down about 45 knots. The helicopter came to a stop in the grass about 100 feet past the end of the runway. An examination of the helicopter revealed that several fasteners were missing from the top clevis of the collective control tube, which led to the control tube becoming disconnected from the collective pitch arm on the swash plate. The missing fasteners were found loose on the deck in the transmission compartment. Records showed that maintenance to reinstall the transmission and main rotor hub had been completed about 6 flight hours before the incident and that several mechanics and two pilots had examined the helicopter before the incident flight without noting the improperly secured/missing fasteners.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Improper reassembly of the collective flight controls by maintenance personnel. Contributing to the incident were inadequate postmaintenance examinations by maintenance personnel and inadequate preflight inspections by two pilots.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 7/12/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1428 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Gulf of Mexico |
| Event State | LOUISIANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | -- |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 283931N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0912934W |
| 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 | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | 1935 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 7 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KPTN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 9 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 62 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 4400 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3200 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 34 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 240 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 14 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.95 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KPTN 121935Z AUTO 24010G14KT 10SM SCT032 34/ |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 30000 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Direct notification from the o |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 13 2012 10:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | latt |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N523RL |
| NTSB Number | CEN10IA397 |
| 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 | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BELL |
| Aircraft Model | 206 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | L4 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 52321 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4450 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 5 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 7 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 7 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 6 |
| Airframe Hours | 4399 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | ROTORCRAFT LEASING COMPANY LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 430 N EOLA RD |
| Aircraft Owner City | BROUSSARD |
| Aircraft Owner State | LA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 70518-3304 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | ROTORCRAFT LEASING COMPANY LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 430 N EOLA RD |
| Operator City | BROUSSARD |
| Operator State | LA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 70518-3304 |
| Operator Code | YTRA |
| 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 | YTRA264L |
| 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 | NONE |
| Departure City | Gulf of Mexico |
| Departure State | LA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1422 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | NONE |
| Destination City | Gulf of Mexico |
| Destination State | LA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 2 2012 11:20PM |
| User who most recently changed record | latt |
| 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 | -- |