Temple Central Texas Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Temple, Texas 76502
Saturday, May 31, 2014 10:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

***This report was modified on December 11, 2014. Please see the docket for this accident to view the original report.*** On May 31, 2014, about 1015 central standard time, a Schweizer 269C, N902CP, sustained substantial damage when it experienced ground resonance at the Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport (TPL), Temple, Texas. The commercial pilot and one passenger were not injured. The helicopter was registered to and operated by the Kachemak Bay Flying Service Inc. under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations as a Part 91 demonstration flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter departed TPL at 1010 on a local flight. The pilot reported that during initial taxi he noticed that the intercom voice operated relay (VOX) volume was set too high, so he landed the helicopter on the asphalt taxiway into the wind to adjust the VOX. With the helicopter at flat pitch operating rpm, just as the pilot reached to adjust the VOX, the helicopter entered ground resonance. Within 5 seconds of touchdown, the oscillating became severe. He ensured that the collective was at flat pitch and he rolled the throttle to flight idle. Within 15 seconds, the main rotor blades impacted the ground, tail boom, and other components. The pilot shut down the engine using the magneto switch, and evacuated the helicopter with the passenger. The four main landing gear dampers were removed from the helicopter and sent to a facility to conduct a load stroke examination. The examination used a load cell to apply pressure and a computer to record the stroke versus the load required for compression. The computer program was the same as was used to verify proper assembly and operation of new production dampers. A visual examination of the dampers revealed that all four dampers exhibited varying amounts of dried hydraulic fluid on the piston, dust seal, and the inside of the boots. All four dampers failed the load stroke test. The left forward damper was intact with minor bending to the upper bearing lug. The load stroke test showed that it was within tolerance on the compression stroke at the lower pressure test point, but was slightly high at 3,620 lbs (should be between 2,900 and 3,600 lbs). It was out of limits at the ultimate load range. The right forward damper was intact. The load stroke test showed that it was within tolerance on the compression stroke at the lower pressure test point. It was out of limits low at 1,787 lbs, at the ultimate load range (should be between 2,900 and 3,600 lbs). The left rear damper was intact. The load stroke test indicated an out of limits high. It exceeded the maximum load of 3,900 lbs at 3.12 inches of travel. The nominal travel is approximately 3.5/3.6 inches. The right rear damper was intact. The load stroke test indicated an out of limits slightly high at 3,910 lbs at the ultimate load point (should be 3,200 to 3,900 lbs). On April 15, 2014, Sikorsky issued 269C helicopter Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) B-304. The ASB concerned a one-time load stroke inspection of the landing gear dampers to be performed at an overhaul or repair facility. The ASB was effective for all 269C models to ensure the landing gear dampers were serviced correctly. The ASB stated that compliance was essential and to be accomplished by January 9, 2015, on all landing gear dampers in service "that have been previously overhauled, serviced, disassembled or otherwise had the charge or fluid level affected." Concurrently, Sikorsky issued a revision to the Handbook of Maintenance Instructions (HMI) for the 269C that added a load stroke inspection procedure to the section of the HMI that pertains to the repair and charging of the landing gear dampers (Appendix C, Part VI). The maintenance records indicated that the last annual maintenance inspection was conducted on April 21, 2014 with a total aircraft time of 5,204.5 hours. On April 29, 2014, the helicopter's main landing gear dampers were serviced by charging them with nitrogen in accordance with the paragraph 5-4 of the HMI's Appendix C Part VI. After the servicing, the helicopter was returned to service. The maintenance facility did not comply with the ASB B-304 or the load stroke inspection procedure in the concurrent HMI revision The company's maintenance manager reported that the company was not aware that ASB B-304 and the concurrent HMI revision were issued until after the accident occurred. Once the company became aware of the ASB, they immediately removed the dampers from two other Schweizer 269C helicopters that they operated and had the dampers inspected per the ASB. The inspection revealed that 5 of 8 dampers failed the load test and had to be overhauled. The dampers were returned to service and the helicopters have been in operation without incident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/31/2014
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1015
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Temple
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76502
Event Date Year 2014
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 310907N
Event Location Longitude 0972428W
Event Location Airport Temple Central Texas Regional
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TPL
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 682
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 945 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID TPL
Elevation of weather observation facility 682
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
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) 29.93
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 33479
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 Nov 13 2014 6:34PM
User who most recently changed record silj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N902CP
NTSB Number CEN14LA269
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model 269C
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number S1715
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 3
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 21 2014 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5205
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KACHEMAK BAY FLYING SERVICE INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7720 AIRPORT RD STE C
Aircraft Owner City TEMPLE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 765026974
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name KACHEMAK BAY FLYING SERVICE INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 7720 AIRPORT RD STE C
Operator City TEMPLE
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 765026974
Operator Code YKBA
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code TPL
Departure City Temple
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1010
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code TPL
Destination City Temple
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 13 2014 6:32PM
User who most recently changed record silj
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 --