Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Indiantown, Florida 34956
Monday, June 4, 2012 9:55 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that, about 25 minutes into the flight, he maneuvered the helicopter to avoid large birds. The pilot felt something impact the upper right side of the helicopter near the main rotor mast area. The helicopter began shaking violently and became difficult to control. He immediately decided to abort the flight. During the landing attempt, helicopter control was lost; the helicopter entered a left spin, impacted the ground, and rolled over. The main and tail rotor systems and the fuselage sustained substantial damage. The immediate decision to abort the flight after impact with the birds most likely aided the pilot in executing an emergency landing.
Evidence of bird remains were present on components of the rotor head, two of the four pitch change rods, and the tail rotor. Both pitch change rods with bird remains were separated from one of their attach points. The bird remains were removed and sent to the Smithsonian Institute for identification. According to the report, male and female Black Vulture DNA was found on the pitch control rods, pitch control linkages, and the tail rotor.
Examination of the rotor head parts found two pitch change links failed in tensile overstress; one of these exhibited an inward bending that could have been caused by a bird strike. The damage to the other pitch change link was most likely caused by the dynamic rollover as the rotor blades impacted the ground or other helicopter components. The accident sequence most likely initiated when the birds struck the pitch change rods.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The inflight collision with birds, resulting in damage to the rotor head assembly and a subsequent forced landing and rollover.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/4/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 955 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Indiantown |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 34956 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 270153N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0802103W |
| 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 | 13 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 16 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 947 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 37 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SUA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 16 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 13 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2000 |
| 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) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 23 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 260 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.97 |
| 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 | 5 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 5 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31593 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA SROCC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 3 2013 11:15AM |
| User who most recently changed record | coln |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N427AL |
| NTSB Number | ERA12LA379 |
| 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 | 427 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 56018 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 6550 |
| 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 | 8 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 7 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 15 |
| Airframe Hours | 1345 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SOUTHERN AVIATION SYSTEMS LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 790 HILLBRATH DR |
| Aircraft Owner City | LANTANA |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33462-1672 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | SOUTHERN AVIATION SYSTEMS LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 790 HILLBRATH DR |
| Operator City | LANTANA |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 33462-1672 |
| 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) | Executive/Corporate |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PBI |
| Departure City | Palm Beach |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 935 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | OCF |
| Destination City | Ocala |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 9 2013 1:17PM |
| 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 | -- |