Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Kendall Tamiami Executive Airp Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Miami, Florida 33166
Wednesday, April 3, 2013 16:00 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot, who also owned the helicopter company, hired a mechanic to change the main rotor blades on the helicopter. The main rotor blade change also required several adjustments to the pitch change rods on the rotor system followed by test flights. The accident flight was the second maintenance flight of the day and occurred about 1 hour of operation after the main rotor blade replacement. Witnesses observed the helicopter flying and heard a loud “pop” sound followed by components separating from the helicopter. They then observed the tail section separate from the helicopter and the helicopter crash to the ground. Witness statements and wreckage documentation were consistent with a main rotor blade rotating upward during the accident flight, which was followed by a tail strike and the helicopter rolling inverted. Subsequently, the mast bumped and the helicopter descended uncontrolled to the ground. A witness, who had flown the helicopter numerous times, stated that he observed the mechanic make adjustments to the pitch change rods on the rotor system during the maintenance procedure. He also stated that the mechanic told him that the owner of the helicopter was upset and that the helicopter manufacturer installed refurbished spindles onto the new blades. The owner’s frustration likely distracted the mechanic and/or applied pressure for the mechanic to return the helicopter to service and revenue operations as soon as possible. On-scene examination of the wreckage revealed that the pitch-link-to-swash-plate connection for one of the main rotor blades was missing. The pitch link and horn were found about 90 feet away. Metallurgical examination of the main rotor system revealed that the attaching hardware for the pitch-link-to-swash-plate connection was most likely not secured properly and separated after about 1 hour of flight following the maintenance. All other failures were consistent with overstress and no preexisting cracking was noted. No other anomalies with the helicopter structure, systems, or engine were found.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The mechanic's failure to properly secure the pitch link hardware of one main rotor blade to the rotating swash plate, which resulted in the pitch link separating in flight and the pilot's subsequent loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s/owner's pressure on the mechanic to return the helicopter to revenue service.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/3/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1600 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Miami |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33166 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 253832N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0802317W |
| Event Location Airport | Kendall Tamiami Executive Airp |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | TMB |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 2 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 92 |
| Airport Elevation | 10 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1353 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KTMB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 10 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 2 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3000 |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 20 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 120 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 6 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | SA 03/04/2013 19:53-> METAR KTMB 031953Z 12012G18K |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32698 |
| NTSB Notification Source | NTSB Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 19 2014 3:40PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3101H |
| NTSB Number | ERA13FA186 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | ROBINSON |
| Aircraft Model | R44 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1610 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2500 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 2 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 4 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 11 |
| Airframe Hours | 760 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Bravo Helicopters LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Miami |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33186 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Bravo Helicopters LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Miami |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 33186 |
| 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) | Flight Test |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | TMB |
| Departure City | Miami |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1555 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | TMB |
| Destination City | Miami |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 19 2014 3:42PM |
| 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 | -- |