Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Walnut Grove, Arkansas 72031
Tuesady, August 31, 2010 3:55 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The air ambulance positioning flight was en route to a landing zone to pick up a patient for transfer. One witness in the accident area described a helicopter circling overhead, and another witness reported that they heard the sound of crashing metal or the impact of the helicopter with the ground.
Radar and global positioning system data depicted the accident helicopter reversing course multiple times just prior to the accident. The flight path of the helicopter prior to the accident was consistent with spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of control due to an inadvertent encounter with instrument meteorological conditions.
The wreckage was located in forested terrain approximately 3.5 miles south of the intended destination. The wreckage distribution was consistent with an in-flight separation of the main rotor and tail boom. An examination of the helicopter airframe, engine, and related systems revealed no pre-impact anomalies. Both the main rotor assembly and tail boom separated in overload. The main rotor tie down strap found wrapped around the blade was a result of the accident sequence and did not contribute to the accident.
Weather information indicated a moist stable environment from the surface to approximately 2,500 feet, which supported low clouds and stratus below 2,500 feet. In addition, an AIRMET had been issued for instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) due to low ceilings and poor visibility. The Area Forecast advised of marginal visual meteorological conditions in the state of Arkansas. Witnesses in the area described the weather as hazy or foggy, with overcast skies. One witness stated that it was very dark and no moon could be seen. The investigation was unable to determine what information the pilot had or method he used to obtain weather information prior to the flight.
The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate and an instrument rating. He had received instrument training, including inadvertent flight into IMC; however, the company did not operate in IMC. The pilot was trained and had recent experience in the use of night vision goggles. The investigation was unable to determine if the pilot was using the night vision goggles at the time of the accident. While toxicological results were positive for ethanol, the samples were contaminated and the source of the ethanol could not be determined.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s loss of aircraft control, due to spatial disorientation, resulting in the in-flight separation of the main rotor and tail boom.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/31/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 355 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Walnut Grove |
| Event State | ARKANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 72031 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 353342N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0923315W |
| 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 | 355 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 67 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KCCA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 514 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 6 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 4900 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1600 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 25 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 23 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.09 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 3 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 29008 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Air Evac |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 9 2011 10:01AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N62AE |
| NTSB Number | CEN10FA509 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON |
| Aircraft Model | 206L-1 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 45169 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 |
| 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 | Aug 29 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 24690 |
| 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 DR |
| Aircraft Owner City | WEST PLAINS |
| Aircraft Owner State | MO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 65775-2279 |
| 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 DR |
| Operator City | WEST PLAINS |
| Operator State | MO |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 65775-2279 |
| 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 | 44AR |
| Departure City | Vilonia |
| Departure State | AR |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 335 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Crabtree |
| Destination State | AR |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 10 2011 3:35PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kaij |
| 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 | Yes |
| Medical Flight | Medical Emergency |