Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Corpus Christie Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Corpus Christi, Texas 78406
Tuesady, April 3, 2012 15:55 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
After an uneventful flight, the pilot slowed the helicopter into a stable hover about 15 feet above the landing point. Although the engine continued to operate, the main rotor rpm suddenly decayed and the helicopter landed hard. The pilot, who had over 5,600 flight hours in helicopters, stated that there was no warning before the loss of main rotor drive. The helicopter was in a position whereby power to the rotor system was essential to conducting a safe landing. Examination of the helicopter revealed that the bolt that retains the clutch drive rod end in the clutch pivot fork had sheared, resulting in the clutch disengaging. Once the clutch disengaged, there was no drive to the rotor system, and the helicopter's descent could not be arrested. With the exception of the failed bolt, examination of the entire drive system did not show any preexisting mechanical malfunction or abnormalities that would have precluded normal operation. The helicopter had operated about 1,350 hours since it was new, and the retaining bolt was the original installation. The reason for the failure of the bolt could not be determined.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of the bolt that retained the clutch drive rod end, which resulted in a loss of main rotor drive and a subsequent hard landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/3/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1555 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Corpus Christi |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 78406 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 274613N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0973004W |
| Event Location Airport | Corpus Christie |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CRP |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 44 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1515 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CRP |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 44 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 3600 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 22 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| 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 | METAR KCRP 032051Z 08014G17KT 7SM BKN042 OVC055 30 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31701 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA - San Antonio FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 14 2013 11:23PM |
| User who most recently changed record | lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3042D |
| NTSB Number | CEN12LA228 |
| 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 | ENSTROM |
| Aircraft Model | 280FX |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2128 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | 3 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 12 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1350 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | TRAVLAND HELICOPTERS INTL INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO BOX 2019 |
| Aircraft Owner City | ALPINE |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 79831-2019 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | TRAVLAND HELICOPTERS INTL INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | PO BOX 2019 |
| Operator City | ALPINE |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 79831-2019 |
| 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) | Other Work Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | EBG |
| Departure City | Edinburg |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1630 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | CRP |
| Destination City | Corpus Christi |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 14 2013 10:11PM |
| User who most recently changed record | lema |
| 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 | -- |