Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Covington Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Covington, Georgia 30209
Friday, September 24, 2010 16:34 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot of the helicopter, the instructor simulated a hydraulics failure by “turning off” the flight control hydraulics switch, in order to perform a hydraulics-off, run-on landing as the remedial action to the simulated emergency. As the helicopter slowed over the runway, the nose yawed to the left, and the pilot was unable to correct the yaw with right pedal input. The instructor took control of the helicopter, and completed a low-level, left-hand orbit to demonstrate and complete the maneuver. As the helicopter completed the left orbit and lined up for landing, it “rolled wings level” but then continued to roll to the right and collided with terrain. The pilot said that the entire maneuver was conducted hydraulics-off, and that he felt the instructor had control of the helicopter until it rolled past wings-level to the right. The pilot added that the instructor had successfully completed a similar maneuver earlier in the day, without restoring the flight control hydraulics. According to the manufacturer's Flight Manual (Emergency Procedures) and the Flight Manual Supplement, Hydraulic Pressure Failure Training Procedures, "CAUTION: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CARRY OUT HOVER FLIGHT OR ANY LOW SPEED MANEUVER WITHOUT HYDRAULIC PRESSSURE ASSISTANCE. THE INTENSITY AND DIRECTION OF THE CONTROL FEEDBACK FORCES WILL CHANGE RAPIDLY. THIS WILL RESULT IN EXCESSIVE PILOT WORKLOAD, POOR AIRCRAFT CONTROL, AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF CONTROL." Both the pilot and the instructor stated that there was nothing wrong with the performance and handling of the helicopter.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The flight instructor's loss of control of the helicopter during the intentional demonstration of a low speed, hydraulics-off maneuver, that was warned against in the helicopter manufacturer's flight manual.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/24/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1634 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Covington |
| Event State | GEORGIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 30209 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 333734N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0835031W |
| Event Location Airport | Covington Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 9A1 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 809 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1650 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 345 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LZU |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1061 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 21 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 9500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 5500 |
| 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) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 200 |
| 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) | 30.09 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 28494 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern CROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 19 2011 12:00PM |
| User who most recently changed record | rows |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N91DK |
| NTSB Number | ERA10TA501 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Public Use |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | EUROCOPTER |
| Aircraft Model | AS-350 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | B2 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3497 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4290 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 12 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 58 |
| Airframe Hours | 3158 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Dekalb County Police Services |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Decatur |
| Aircraft Owner State | GA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 30032 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Dekalb County Police Services |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Decatur |
| Operator State | GA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 30032 |
| 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) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 9A1 |
| Departure City | Covington |
| Departure State | GA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 9A1 |
| Destination City | Covington |
| Destination State | GA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 2 2011 1:20PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 28 |
| Runway Length | 5500 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |