Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Premium Heliport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Orlando, Florida 32821
Monday, February 10, 2014 9:30 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot, while conducting a preflight inspection, he overlooked the removal of the tail rotor covers. He started the helicopter and shortly thereafter he heard a "snap", and the helicopter began to "shake". The helicopter was immediately shutdown and a visual inspection revealed substantial damage to the tail rotor drive shaft. The pilot reported no other preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection in which he failed to remove the tail rotor covers, which resulted in the failure of the tail rotor drive shaft during engine start.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/10/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 930 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Orlando |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32821 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 280014N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0812911E |
| Event Location Airport | Premium Heliport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 7FA5 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 0 |
| Airport Elevation | 128 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | 930 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 161 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ISM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 86 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 7 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| 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) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 40 |
| 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) | 30.15 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32585 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Operator |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 1 2014 12:48PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N7040U |
| NTSB Number | ERA14CA143 |
| 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 | ROBINSON HELICOPTER |
| Aircraft Model | R44 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2262 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2400 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 4 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 18 2014 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 395 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | C91 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | LIMOCOPTER LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 7550 FUTURES DR STE 101 |
| Aircraft Owner City | ORLANDO |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 328199096 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Air Force LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 12211 Regency Village Pl |
| Operator City | Orlando |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 32821 |
| 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) | Other Work Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 7FA5 |
| Departure City | Orlando |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 930 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 7FA5 |
| Destination City | Orlando |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 1 2014 12:58PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | H1 |
| Runway Length | 31 |
| Runway Width | 31 |
| Sight Seeing flight | Yes |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |