Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Newton City-County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Walton, Kansas 67151
Thursday, May 26, 2011 14:23 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot and flight mechanic were on a maintenance flight and had entered an autorotation to check the flat-pitch rotor speed, which was satisfactory. During recovery, about 500 feet above ground level, the pilot applied the throttle but the engine did not respond. The autorotational descent continued and the pilot executed a power-off running landing to a wheat field. As the helicopter touched down, a main rotor blade struck the tail boom, separating the tail boom at its attach point. Both main rotor blades impacted terrain and the helicopter came to rest on its right side. The pilot and flight mechanic were uncertain as to whether the engine had stopped running during the autorotation recovery or whether it was only operating at idle rpm. No preimpact anomalies were discovered that would have prevented normal operation. The engine was removed and run in a test cell, and the engine met specification power. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/26/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1423 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Walton |
| Event State | KANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 67151 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 380914N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0971707W |
| Event Location Airport | Newton City-County Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | EWK |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 6 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1533 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1415 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 176 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KEWK |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1533 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 6 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| 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) | 20 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 30 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.01 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KEWK 261935z AUTO 04008KT 10SM CLR 20/05 A3001 |
| 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) | 30843 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ACE Regional Operations Ce |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 12 2012 2:16PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bakd |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1815 |
| NTSB Number | CEN11LA356 |
| 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 | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BELL |
| Aircraft Model | 206 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | L1 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 45299 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4150 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 3 |
| 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 | May 15 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 98 |
| Airframe Hours | 25443 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C126 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | GM LEASING CO LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1318 SMEDE HWY |
| Aircraft Owner City | BROUSSARD |
| Aircraft Owner State | LA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 708518 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | AIR MD LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 516 N. OLIVER ROAD - HANGAR J |
| Operator City | NEWTON |
| Operator State | KS |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 67114 |
| Operator Code | YEWA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | YEWA827K |
| 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) | Other Work Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | EWO |
| Departure City | Newton |
| Departure State | KS |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1412 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | EWO |
| Destination City | Newton |
| Destination State | KS |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 6 2012 6:07PM |
| User who most recently changed record | latt |
| 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 | -- |