Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Goshen, New York 10924
Tuesady, March 22, 2011 13:15 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot, following clutch engagement after engine start and warm up, it took 20 to 25 seconds for the main rotor to start turning. About 15 minutes into the flight and while cruising at 700 feet above ground level, the pilot heard a “flapping” noise and smelled burning rubber. He then “sensed” that the engine was losing power, observed numerous caution lights illuminate, and entered an autorotation. The helicopter subsequently impacted uneven terrain, which resulted in damage to the fuselage, as well as the main and tail rotor blades. Postaccident examination found that both power transmission belts had been ripped, mostly through the center of the backing, separating the two sides of the belt. A review of maintenance records showed that an airframe overhaul was completed about 4 months before the accident, which included replacement of both v-belts.According to the manufacturer’s maintenance manual, a delay of more than 5 seconds between clutch switch engagement and rotor turning indicates excessive belt slack. Power transmission belts that are too loose can jump out of their grooves during start up and jump forward into the next groove or off the forward edge of the pulley. The pre-engine start checklist instructs pilots to adjust the slack of the power transmission belt system so that the rotor begins turning within 5 seconds of clutch engagement. Evidence suggests that the pilot did not perform the recommended check.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to adhere to published preflight checklist limitations and procedures, resulting in excessive slack and subsequent failure of the power transmission belts and a total loss of rotor system drive.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/22/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1315 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Goshen |
| Event State | NEW YORK |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 10924 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 403021N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0741531W |
| 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 | 1354 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MGJ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Dawn |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 4500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 9 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 300 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.91 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31612 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Northeast Region ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 3 2013 11:33AM |
| User who most recently changed record | coln |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N259TW |
| NTSB Number | ERA11LA204 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | ROBINSON |
| Aircraft Model | R22 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | BETA |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3264 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1380 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 10 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 85 |
| Airframe Hours | 2200 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Panzironi LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3511 Silverside Rd. Ste 105 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Wilmington |
| Aircraft Owner State | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19810 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Frank J. Panzironi |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Campbell Hall |
| Operator State | NY |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 10916 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 26NK |
| Departure City | Hamptonburgh |
| Departure State | NY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1300 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 4N1 |
| Destination City | West Milford |
| Destination State | NJ |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 18 2013 3:04PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| 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 | -- |