Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
South Bay, Florida 33493
Wednesday, May 8, 2013 9:13 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During a deer population survey flight over swampy terrain, the pilot descended the airplane from 200 feet to a hover about 25 feet above ground level and then side-stepped the helicopter right to maneuver over an island. As he did so, the helicopter began to yaw right and descend. The pilot corrected the yaw and increased collective pitch; however, the helicopter continued to descend. He then moved the cyclic forward in an attempt to fly through effective translational lift, but the descent continued, and the helicopter impacted the swamp and came to rest on its right side. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the helicopter had adequate fuel and was about 400 pounds below its maximum gross weight. No evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions were found that would have precluded normal operation. However, the examination did reveal that the main rotor pitch angle cockpit indication was at 20 degrees (16 degrees when power was applied), which was beyond the redline of 15 degrees. The helicopter would have required more power to hover in sideways flight, below effective translational lift, than it would have required for a stationary hover. One of the common errors in hovering sideways flight is the failure to maintain proper rotor rpm. The excessive main rotor blade pitch angle and the pilot’s report that the helicopter continued to descend after he increased the collective pitch and that he had to correct a right yaw indicate that it is likely that he failed to maintain proper rotor rpm during the hovering sideways flight.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to maintain proper rotor rpm while hovering in sideways flight.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/8/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 913 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | South Bay |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33493 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 262638N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0805216W |
| 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 | 853 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PBI |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 20 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 25 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3000 |
| 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) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 16 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.12 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| 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) | 32421 |
| 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 | Mar 6 2014 12:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N318DB |
| NTSB Number | ERA13LA242 |
| 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 | SUD AVIATION |
| Aircraft Model | SA 318C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2031 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3650 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 15 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 36 |
| Airframe Hours | 11096 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | MILE HI INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | DADE CITY |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33523 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | MILE HI INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | DADE CITY |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 33523 |
| 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) | Aerial Observation |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | NONE |
| Departure City | Weston |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 713 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | NONE |
| Destination City | Weston |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 6 2014 12:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |