Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Salaika Aviation Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Danbury, Texas 77534
Friday, July 26, 2013 12:30 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The flight instructor reported that, during takeoff, as the helicopter climbed through 300 feet, the private pilot started a right downwind turn. At that time, they heard a loud sound and ricocheting metal directly behind their heads, and the collective control was unresponsive. The flight instructor immediately took control of the helicopter and prepared to land. He lowered the collective to start a descent; however, the collective control was still unresponsive. He then chose to set the helicopter up for a long, shallow approach over an open field to the helipad. During a turn at 60 knots indicated airspeed, the helicopter began to oscillate vertically. The flight instructor heard popping sounds, and the oscillations increased. The main rotor rpm began to decrease, and the flight instructor lowered the collective and increased the throttle; however, the main rotor rpm continued to decrease. The helicopter started to shake violently, and the flight instructor observed that the blade pitch was very high. The shaking increased, and the flight instructor could no longer control the helicopter. A few seconds later, the helicopter impacted the ground. The collective walking beam was found fractured immediately forward of its pivot point. The aft end of the walking beam remained attached to the upper swashplate assembly, and the pivot point remained attached to the main transmission housing. The collective control linkages forward of the walking beam fracture were consumed by the postimpact fire. Examination of the fractured pieces from two brackets and the lower universal housing of the lower swashplate assembly, the end of the push-pull rod assembly, and the collective walking beam revealed features and deformation patterns on the fracture surfaces consistent with overstress separations. No indications of pre-existing cracks or fatigue cracks were observed. Darkened areas and/or rough surface texture consistent with heat damage were observed on all of the components’ surfaces. The reason for the loss of collective control could not be determined due to extensive fire damage.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of collective control for reasons that could not be determined due to extensive fire damage.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/26/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1230 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Danbury |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 77534 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 291439N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0952042W |
| Event Location Airport | Salaika Aviation Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 07TA |
| 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 | 30 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1253 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KLBX |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4000 |
| 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) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 23 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 200 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.03 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KLBX 261753Z AUTO 20008KT 10SM SCT040 32/23 |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 33390 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ASW 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 15 2014 11:44AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kaij |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N287Q |
| NTSB Number | CEN13LA437 |
| 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 | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | ENSTROM |
| Aircraft Model | F-28A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 303 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2150 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 21 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 7202 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SALAIKA TIM |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | DANBURY |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 77534-0757 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Salaika Aviation LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | DANBURY |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 77534-0757 |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 07TA |
| Departure City | Danbury |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 07TA |
| Destination City | Danbury |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 15 2014 11:54AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kaij |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |