Los Angeles Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Segundo, California 90009
Sunday, March 13, 2011 9:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While making the final external load lift from the roof of an office building, the pilot reported that one of the two engines lost power. Witnesses assisting in the operation also reported hearing an engine wind down. The helicopter drifted forward, veered off the side of the roof, and impacted trees and landscaping below. The pilot reported that he had about 400 lbs of fuel on board before the accident flight. The weight of the air scrubber that was being lifted was estimated to be 4,700 lbs; the maximum lifting capability of the helicopter was 5,000 lbs. The pilot reported that he depressed the electrical cargo release switch a couple of times before the helicopter collided with the building and terrain, but he did not attempt to use the manual release because it would have required him to remove his feet from the antitorque pedals to activate a foot lever next to the pedals. During the wreckage examination, the cargo hook was found in the closed position. Postaccident examination of the hook did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation; however, due to the extensive impact and fire damage to the electrical system, it could not be determined why the hook did not release the load. Organic debris located on the intake screen of the #1 engine and the lack of such debris on the intake screen of the #2 engine indicated that the #2 engine probably was not operating at the time of the accident. A postaccident examination of both engines revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal engine operation. Had the pilot been able to release the load, he might have been able to make a successful landing.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A partial loss of engine power and the failure of the external hook to release the load for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/13/2011
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City El Segundo
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90009
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 335444N
Event Location Longitude 1182322W
Event Location Airport Los Angeles Intl
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KLAX
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 125
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 953 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID KLAX
Elevation of weather observation facility 125
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.21
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29654
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 21 2012 6:56AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N33602
NTSB Number WPR11FA163
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SIKORSKY
Aircraft Model S-58ET
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 58-727
Certified Max Gross Weight 13000
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 11
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection Mar 7 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 8934
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91
Aircraft Owner Name HELI FLITE INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1969 AVIATION DR #C
Aircraft Owner City CORONA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92880
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Aris Helicopters
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6873 Flight Rd
Operator City Riverside
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 92504
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation External Load
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) External Load
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KRIV
Departure City Riverside
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 829
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City El Secundo
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 9 2012 1:55PM
User who most recently changed record coos
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 --