Arthur Dunn Air Park Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Titusville, Florida 32796
Thursday, August 11, 2011 8:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The two certificated rotorcraft pilots were conducting a ferry flight. According to both pilots, the helicopter was on approach to land for a refueling stop when the airline transport pilot flying asked the private pilot to apply carburetor heat. The private pilot inadvertently pulled-out the engine mixture control with the mixture control guard, which resulted in an immediate total loss of engine power. The helicopter was at an altitude between 300 to 400 feet, when the airline transport pilot entered an autorotation, while the private pilot attempted to restart the engine. The engine did not restart before the helicopter struck trees, a fence, and then nosed over. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the airframe and both the main and tail rotor drive systems. Both pilots reported there were no mechanical malfunctions during the flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The private pilot's incorrect manipulation of the engine mixture control which resulted in an inadvertent engine shutdown.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/11/2011
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Titusville
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32796
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 283721N
Event Location Longitude 0805007W
Event Location Airport Arthur Dunn Air Park
Event Location Nearest Airport ID X21
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 30
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 855 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID TTS
Elevation of weather observation facility 10
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 27
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.9
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) 29036
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern 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 7 2011 2:37PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N62JF
NTSB Number ERA11CA448
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R22
Aircraft Series Identifier BETA
Aircraft Serial Number 3922
Certified Max Gross Weight 1370
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1061
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Airtrade Aviation Corp.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Wilmington
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19810
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Airtrade Aviation Corp.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Wilmington
Operator State DE
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 19810
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CRG
Departure City Jacksonville
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 715
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code X21
Destination City Titusville
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 7 2011 2:37PM
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 --