Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Missoula International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Missoula, Montana 59808
Friday, April 4, 2014 15:45 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On April 4, 2014, about 1545 mountain daylight time, a Bell 206B-III helicopter, N43MA, was substantially damaged during a liftoff attempt at Missoula International airport (MSO), Missoula, Montana. Both pilots on board received minor injuries. The helicopter was operated by Minuteman Aviation Incorporated (MAI), and the instructional 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.
According to the pilot under instruction, she was undergoing training and evaluation for possible employment by the operator as a Bell 206 pilot. On the day of the accident, after a flight with another MAI pilot, she landed and remained in the right seat, while the other pilot exited and the MAI chief pilot (CP) took the left seat. She then flew the helicopter to another location on the airport. The approach and landing were into the wind, approximately parallel to MSO runway 29. After a brief discussion in which it was agreed that the CP would demonstrate the next maneuver that he wanted to see, the CP attempted a liftoff.
According to the CP, the right skid felt like it was "stuck" to the ground. Despite his efforts to correct the situation, the CP was unable to successfully set the helicopter fully back down. The helicopter rolled over onto its right side, and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom, and main rotor. The CP shut the helicopter down, and both occupants exited the aircraft. The CP did not report any pre-rollover mechanical deficiencies or failures of the helicopter, and a post-accident examination of the helicopter by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors did not detect any such deficiencies or failures.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) information indicated that the helicopter was manufactured in 1991, and was equipped with an Allison (Rolls-Royce) 250-C20 series turboshaft engine. MAI information indicated that the helicopter had accumulated a total time in service of approximately 7,484 hours.
The CP reported a total flight experience of about 19,000 hours, including about 5,310 hours in helicopters, and about 1,500 hours in the accident helicopter make and model. The pilot under instruction reported a total flight experience of about 1,200 hours, including about 1,080 hours in helicopters, and about 5 hours in the accident helicopter make and model.
The MSO 1553 automated weather observation included winds from 320 degrees at 11 knots, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 6,500 feet, temperature 11 degrees C, dew point minus 2 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.81 inches of mercury.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/4/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1545 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Missoula |
| Event State | MONTANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 59808 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 465459N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1140526W |
| Event Location Airport | Missoula International |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KMSO |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 3206 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1553 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MSO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 3206 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 6500 |
| 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) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 320 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.81 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAANWM ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 2 2014 4:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | eckd |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N43MA |
| NTSB Number | WPR14LA159 |
| 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 | BELL |
| Aircraft Model | 206B III |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 4156 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3201 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 4 |
| 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 | Jan 27 2014 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 7484 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | MINUTEMAN AVIATION INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 5225 HWY 10 W AIRPORT BOX 16 |
| Aircraft Owner City | MISSOULA |
| Aircraft Owner State | MT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 59808 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | MINUTEMAN AVIATION INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 5225 HWY 10 W AIRPORT BOX 16 |
| Operator City | MISSOULA |
| Operator State | MT |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 59808 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| 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 | KMSO |
| Departure City | Missoula |
| Departure State | MT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1545 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | KMSO |
| Destination City | Missoula |
| Destination State | MT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 5 2014 1:56PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| 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 | -- |