Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Cordes Lakes, Arizona 86333
Saturday, September 21, 2013 11:50 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On September 21, 2013, about 1150 mountain standard time, a Bell UH-1V helicopter, N22490, was destroyed when it impacted the ground near Cordes Lakes, Arizona following the in-flight separation of the main rotor blade assembly. The owner/pilot and the non-pilot rated passenger were fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no FAA flight plan was filed for the flight.
The helicopter was based at Scottsdale airport (SDL), Scottsdale, Arizona, and reportedly departed SDL the morning of the accident. According to witnesses, the helicopter landed at Sedona airport (SEZ), Sedona, Arizona, that morning, where a fly-in and aircraft exhibition event was being held. The helicopter did not take on fuel at SEZ. On departure from SEZ, the helicopter first air-taxied northbound (which was approximately downwind) along the runway, about 100 feet above ground level. It was then observed to make a course reversal near the end of the runway, and fly along the runway before departing the area. Eyewitnesses located about 5 miles north-northeast of Cordes Lakes observed the helicopter "explode," and first telephoned 911 at 1150 to report the accident.
The helicopter debris trail measured approximately 1,700 feet long, and was oriented along a magnetic track of about 160 degrees. The bulk of the helicopter, including the cockpit/cabin, engine, transmission, tail boom and tail rotor assembly, was located in or near an impact crater at the southern end of the debris trail. The debris trail included the cockpit windshields and doors, cabin sidewall, and cabin interior items. The main rotor assembly, which included the two blades and the hub, was located about 600 feet east of the debris trail. No evidence of any pre-impact failures of the engine, reduction gearbox, transmission, or tail rotor drive assemblies was observed. No evidence of fire or a high-order explosion was observed on any components found in the debris trail, and the only evidence of fire was observed in and around the main impact crater. The debris field was mapped, and the wreckage was subsequently recovered to a secure facility for detailed examination.
A partial radar track associated with the helicopter indicated that the first target was acquired at 1138, at an indicated altitude of 6,600 feet. That target was located about 12 miles from SEZ, on a magnetic bearing of 197 degrees. The last radar target associated with the helicopter was recorded at 1150, at an indicated altitude of 5,800 feet. That final target was approximately coincident with the wreckage location.
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with airplane single- and multi-engine land ratings, and was issued a rotorcraft helicopter rating in May 2013. On his most recent application for a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical certificate, the pilot reported that he had 1,856 total hours of flight experience. His helicopter flight training and flight examination were conducted in a Hughes 269 helicopter. The helicopter flight examiner stated that the pilot had purchased the UH-1 prior to his completion of his helicopter rating. The examiner estimated that the pilot had less than 100 hours of helicopter flight experience at the time of the accident.
FAA information indicated that the helicopter was manufactured in 1974, and was equipped with a Lycoming/Honeywell T-53 series turboshaft engine.
The SEZ 1135 automated weather observation included winds from 230 degrees at 5 knots, gusting to 17 knots; visibility 10 miles, with clear skies. The 1100 winds aloft for about 6,000 feet in the general vicinity of the accident location were from 170 degrees at 13 knots.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/21/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1150 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Cordes Lakes |
| Event State | ARIZONA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 86333 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 342343N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1120249E |
| Event Location Airport | N/A |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | -- |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | -- |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | -- |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| 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) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Regional Operations Comm C |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 30 2013 4:13PM |
| User who most recently changed record | hogd |
| Basic weather conditions | -- |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N22490 |
| NTSB Number | WPR13FA417 |
| 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 | BELL |
| Aircraft Model | UH-1V |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 74-22490 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 9500 |
| 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 | -- |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Cave Creek |
| Aircraft Owner State | AZ |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 85331 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Cave Creek |
| Operator State | AZ |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 85331 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | SEZ |
| Departure City | Sedona |
| Departure State | AZ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 30 2013 4:58PM |
| User who most recently changed record | hogd |
| 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 | -- |