N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Longboat Key, Florida 34228
Friday, May 25, 2012 14:25 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that, while in cruise flight at an altitude of about 500 feet above ground level, the helicopter experienced a total loss of engine power. According to the pilot, the initial indication was a slight yaw, which was followed by the engine-out warning horn. He immediately lowered the collective and entered a power-off autorotation to land on the beach. Upon touchdown, the helicopter's skids dug into the soft sand, and the main rotor blades contacted the tail boom, damaging the drive shaft cover and severing the tail rotor drive shaft. Examination of the helicopter’s structure and systems showed no evidence of failure or malfunction. Attempts to start the engine in a test cell were unsuccessful until the fuel pump was replaced, after which the engine started and operated within all specifications. Examination of the removed fuel pump indicated that the main drive shaft splines and the internal drive gear splines were worn to the point of no spline engagement, which resulted in a loss of fuel pump flow. The engine manufacturer, Rolls-Royce (formerly Allison), issued commercial engine bulletin (CEB) A-1352 on August 21, 1997, which recommended inspection of the fuel pump splines at 100-hour intervals, beginning within 25 hours of receipt of the bulletin. The 100-hour interval spline inspections were an interim safeguard while product improvements were developed and validated. On April 30, 1998, Rolls-Royce (Allison) issued CEB 1355, which recommended a fuel pump upgrade no later than March 31, 1999. Upon compliance with upgrade bulletin, the 100-hour spline inspections indicated by CEB A-1352 were no longer required. Although it was not possible to determine whether the 100-hour spline inspections recommended in CEB A-1352 had been accomplished, the model number of the accident helicopter’s fuel pump indicated that the fuel pump upgrade recommended by CEB A-1355 had not been completed. If the fuel pump upgrade had been completed in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidance, the accident helicopter’s fuel pump would not have failed as it did.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Unknown personnel's failure to comply with the engine manufacturer's engine fuel pump replacement guidance, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to the engine fuel pump failure.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/25/2012
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1425
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Longboat Key
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34228
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 272312N
Event Location Longitude 0823817W
Event Location Airport N/A
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 1453 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 85
Weather Observation Facility ID SRQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 30
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4900
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.98
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KSRQ 251853Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM FEW049 33/20
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 32054
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 Nov 19 2013 2:51PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N806LA
NTSB Number ERA12LA366
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 BELL
Aircraft Model 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1008
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 4
Total number of seats on the aircraft 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 3 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 12068
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type C91
Aircraft Owner Name AIRCRAFT HOLDING & LEASING LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 50 CENTRAL AVE STE 900
Aircraft Owner City SARASOTA
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34236-5739
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Joseph E. Leach II
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Sarasota
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 34243
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
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 --
Departure City Ruskin
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SRQ
Destination City Sarasota
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 19 2013 2:52PM
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 --