None Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Newport, Tennessee 37821
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 9:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot completed a preflight inspection and found no problems with the helicopter. He then completed a normal start procedure and increased the rpm to 100 percent flight idle. He was about to increase the collective, when he felt a violent shake, heard a loud noise, and the helicopter began to come apart. A postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that an outboard 2-foot section of main rotor blade had separated. Metallurgical examination of the separated blade revealed that a fatigue crack originated from an inertia screw hole, located at the bottom surface of the spar portion of the main rotor blade. That crack propagated more than 50 percent of the spar cross section, before fracturing consistent with overstress. A manufacturer alert bulletin instructed operators to visually inspect the inertia screw hole locations on the blade spar with a 10X magnifying glass for cracks and corrosion every 8 hours of flight, or 32 cumulative flights. The outboard section of main rotor blade was secured with eight inertia screws. Although the inertia screw holes were supposed to receive a maintenance inspection every 8 flight hours, they were also a preflight inspection item for the pilot. Review of the helicopter's maintenance logbooks revealed an entry stating that the inertia screw holes had been inspected within the past 8 flight hours; however, corrosion was present in the inertia screw hole that failed. The corrosion and fatigue was most likely present for more than 8 flight hours.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Inadequate maintenance inspections of the main rotor blade inertia screw holes, which resulted in a main rotor blade failure due to fatigue. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the main rotor blades.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/28/2010
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 900
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Newport
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37821
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 355812N
Event Location Longitude 0831124W
Event Location Airport NONE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 853 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID TYS
Elevation of weather observation facility 981
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.13
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
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 --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28379
NTSB Notification Source FAA Nashville FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 5 2011 9:42AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N48LA
NTSB Number ERA10LA379
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GARLICK HELICOPTERS INC
Aircraft Model OH-58A+
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 70-15130
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 15 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 76
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name B & S AIR INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 416 E BROAD ST
Aircraft Owner City LUMPKIN
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 31815-0726
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name B & S AIR INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 416 E BROAD ST
Operator City LUMPKIN
Operator State GA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 31815-0726
Operator Code B8WG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
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) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City Newport
Departure State TN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City Jackson
Destination State TN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 5 2011 9:42AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --