Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Show Low Rgnl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Showlow, Arizona 85901
Tuesady, January 21, 2014 16:35 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that just after takeoff he hovered the helicopter about two feet above the ground before starting a northwesterly takeoff run over an area of grass-covered, uneven terrain. The pilot noted that during the takeoff run, the main rotor RPM began to decay, so he added engine throttle to correct for the RPM decline. The helicopter subsequently descended and during touchdown, the left main landing gear skid collapsed. The helicopter rolled to the left, and the main rotor blades struck the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor drive system, tail boom, and fuselage.
The pilot reported that the estimated gross weight of the helicopter at takeoff was 2,300 pounds, or approximately 50 pounds under the maximum gross weight of 2,350 pounds. The density altitude was calculated to be 7,015 feet mean sea level.
The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain main rotor RPM during the takeoff run in a high density altitude environment, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control and collision with terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/21/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1635 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Showlow |
| Event State | ARIZONA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 85901 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 341552N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1100028W |
| Event Location Airport | SHOW LOW RGNL |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SOW |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | -- |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 239 |
| Airport Elevation | 6415 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2335 Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 202 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KSOW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 6415 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | UTC |
| 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) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 10 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.32 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KSOW 212335Z AUTO 01006KT 10SM CLR 11/M12 A3 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32725 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA WP Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 18 2014 5:14PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johc |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N51683 |
| NTSB Number | WPR14CA101 |
| 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 | ENSTROM HELICOPTER CORP |
| Aircraft Model | 280C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | C |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1110 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2350 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 2 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | -- |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 23 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 8 |
| Airframe Hours | 1285 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | John J Karel |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Stillwater |
| Aircraft Owner State | MN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 327083892 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Jeffery A. Steele |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Peoria |
| Operator State | AZ |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 85382 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | SOW |
| Departure City | Showlow |
| Departure State | AZ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | GEU |
| Destination City | GLENDALE |
| Destination State | AZ |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 28 2014 1:38PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| 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 | -- |