Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Meeker, Colorado
Tuesady, March 8, 2011 13:05 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While conducting deer capture operations,the crew felt a shudder or jolt through the helicopter and collective. The first jolt was immediately followed by a bang, at which time the helicopter started to rotate to the right. The helicopter pitched nose down with forward movement as it rotated to the right, impacting the ground. The pilot estimated that he was 40 feet above the trees and that the airspeed was between 25 and 30 knots when the shudder or jolt occurred. The empennage was located 70 feet to the east of where the helicopter came to rest. Examination of the helicopter, engine, and related systems revealed no mechanical anomalies. Metallurgical examination revealed features consistent with overstress separations on all fractures in the tail boom and the driveshaft. The damage and mode of separation of the empennage was consistent with an impact from a main rotor blade. The manufacturer noted that main rotor contact with the fuselage is only possible with a low rotor rpm state or with flight outside of the approved operational envelope. However, the pilot indicated that there were no bells, horns, or warnings prior to the bang and that he did not receive a low rotor warning or a chip light; the investigation was unable to conclude that low rotor rpm or flight outside of the approved operational envelope led to the separation of the tail boom.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Main rotor contact with the tail boom resulting in tail boom separation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/8/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1305 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Meeker |
| Event State | COLORADO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | -- |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 395459N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1082203W |
| 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 | 1306 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KEEO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 6426 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 25 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1400 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1000 |
| 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) | 2 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -1 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 230 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 28630 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Rio Blanco County Sher Dept |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 1 2011 11:41AM |
| User who most recently changed record | bakd |
| Basic weather conditions | -- |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N131AL |
| NTSB Number | CEN11GA218 |
| 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 | HUGHES |
| Aircraft Model | 369D |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1170230D |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 24 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 26 |
| Airframe Hours | 16415 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | QUICKSILVER AIR INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2721 CORMORANT ST |
| Aircraft Owner City | FAIRBANKS |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99709-2565 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | QUICKSILVER AIR INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 2721 CORMORANT ST |
| Operator City | FAIRBANKS |
| Operator State | AK |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 99709-2565 |
| 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) | Public Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | EEO |
| Departure City | Meeker |
| Departure State | CO |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1200 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | EEO |
| Destination City | Meeker |
| Destination State | CO |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 29 2011 1:29PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kaij |
| 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 | -- |