Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ft. Pierce, Florida 34951
Sunday, May 29, 2011 12:48 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was maneuvering the helicopter at low altitude during a search mission. After completing a low level, slow speed, right turn, the helicopter experienced a nose dip and began to spin. The pilot took corrective actions in an attempt to stop the spinning, but the actions failed, and the helicopter impacted the ground hard. No preimpact mechanical irregularities were noted with the helicopter during the wreckage examination. The pilot stated that he was more focused on the mission than on flying the helicopter and was caught off guard when the uncommanded right yaw started. He reported that he lost awareness of the wind condition and did not recognize the possibility of a loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE) event. As a result of the accident, the helicopter operator implemented additional training and awareness courses and required their pilots to complete mission-oriented emergency procedures flight training and specific training on LTE prevention, onset, and recovery.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to recognize and avoid a loss of tail rotor effectiveness, which resulted in a loss of control and hard landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/29/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1248 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Ft. Pierce |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 34951 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 272508N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0802316W |
| 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 | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | 1253 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 190 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FPR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 24 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 6 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3000 |
| 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) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 100 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 15 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 25 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.06 |
| 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 | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 30402 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern 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 | Oct 29 2012 5:45PM |
| User who most recently changed record | snyg |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N911SL |
| NTSB Number | ERA11TA318 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Public Use |
| 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 | OH-58A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 71-20390 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3200 |
| 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 | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 15 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 26 |
| Airframe Hours | 5514 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C126 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | ST LUCIE CNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4700 W MIDWAY RD |
| Aircraft Owner City | FORT PIERCE |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 34981-4825 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | ST LUCIE CNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 4700 W MIDWAY RD |
| Operator City | FORT PIERCE |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 34981-4825 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | FPR |
| Departure City | Fort Pierce |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1232 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | FPR |
| Destination City | Fort Pierce |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 7 2012 1:11PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| 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 | -- |