Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Brandywine Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
West Chester, Pennsylvania 19380
Saturday, October 13, 2012 9:20 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On October 13, 2012, about 0920 eastern daylight time, two helicopters, a Hughes 369A, N546, and another Hughes 369A, N369SN, collided while in a hover taxi at Brandywine Airport (OQN), West Chester, Pennsylvania. The 2 occupants in N546 and the 3 occupants in N369SN were not injured. N546 sustained substantial damage to all four main rotor blades and tail pylon. N369SN sustained substantial damage to the left landing skid. Both helicopters were operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flights. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The helicopters were part of a flight of 5 helicopters that attended an annual all helicopter airshow.
According to the pilots an internal radio call from the flight leader stating to “break or land” resulted in the breakdown of flight integrity and eventually the contact between the 2 helicopters.
Initial examination of the helicopters by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the left landing skid of N369SN separated from the helicopter. The rotor system and tail pylon of N546 exhibited substantial damage from the contact.
According to FAA records, the pilot of N546 held a private pilot certificate, with a rating for a rotorcraft-helicopter. The pilot of N369SN held a commercial pilot certificate, with a rating for a rotorcraft-helicopter. The pilot of N546 had 586 total flight hours of which 253 of those hours were in the accident aircraft make and model. The pilot of N369SN had 1617 total flight hours of which 92 of those hours were in the accident aircraft make and model.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/13/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 920 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | West Chester |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 19380 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | Yes |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | -- |
| Event Location Latitude | 395925N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0753455W |
| Event Location Airport | Brandywine |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | OQN |
| 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 | 462 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 953 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 290 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LNS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 402 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 35 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| 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) | 6 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| 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) | 30.53 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KLNS 131353Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 06/M02 A3053 R |
| 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 | 5 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern 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 30 2012 11:38AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
||
|---|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
Aircraft #2 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N546 | N369SN |
| NTSB Number | ERA13LA022A | ERA13LA022B |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No | No |
| Damage | Substantial | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | HUGHES/HELICOPTER ASSOCS INC | HUGHES |
| Aircraft Model | 369A | 369A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | HA001 | 66-14389 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2550 | 2550 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 31 2011 12:00AM | Oct 8 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 94 | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1154 | 4386 |
| ELT Installed | No | No |
| ELT Activated | No | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No | No |
| ELT Type | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | John L. King | LANCASTER HELICOPTERS INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 996 Half Mile Branch Road | 1917 MCFARLAND DR |
| Aircraft Owner City | Crozet | LANDISVILLE |
| Aircraft Owner State | VA | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 22932 | 17538-1810 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes | Yes |
| Operator Name | John L. King | Elliot S. Templeton |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes | No |
| Operator Street Address | 996 Half Mile Branch Road | 804 Tennis Avenue |
| Operator City | Crozet | Ambler |
| Operator State | VA | PA |
| Operator Country | USA | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 22932 | 19002 |
| Operator Code | -- | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No | 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) | Personal | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No | No |
| Departure Airport Code | LNS | LNS |
| Departure City | Lancaster | Lancaster |
| Departure State | PA | PA |
| Departure Country | USA | USA |
| Departure Time | 845 | 845 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | OQN | OQN |
| Destination City | West Chester | West Chester |
| Destination State | PA | PA |
| Destination Country | USA | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 30 2012 11:38AM | Oct 30 2012 11:39AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 09 | 09 |
| Runway Length | 3347 | 3347 |
| Runway Width | 50 | 50 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No | No |
| Medical Flight | -- | -- |