Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Lehigh Valley International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Allentown, Pennsylvania 18109
Tuesady, June 17, 2014 12:05 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On June 17, 2014, about 1205 eastern daylight time, a Schweizer 269C-1, N152CC, was substantially damaged while encountering ground resonance at Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE), Allentown, Pennsylvania. The airline transport pilot (airplanes, student helicopter pilot) sustained minor injuries. The local solo instructional flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to the pilot, she landed the helicopter after a 40-minute flight and started the shut-down procedures. She applied the collective friction and started the timer, running the engine at 2,500 rpm for a cool down period. She turned off the boost pump and radios, and pulled out the checklist to ensure she had completed the proper items. She then engaged the collective friction and was tightening the cyclic friction at the cyclic base when the helicopter developed ground resonance.
The pilot couldn't get the helicopter airborne with the frictions engaged, so she rolled the throttle to idle. The resonance continued to increase, and "in a matter of seconds, the helicopter shook itself apart." The pilot could only hold on until the movement stopped, at which time, she secured the engine then subsequently climbed out of the helicopter.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/17/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1205 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Allentown |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 18109 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 403908N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0752626W |
| Event Location Airport | Lehigh Valley International |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | ABE |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 394 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1151 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ABE |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 390 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 31 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 250 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.04 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 31 2014 1:07PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N152CC |
| NTSB Number | ERA14LA293 |
| 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 | SCHWEIZER |
| Aircraft Model | 269C-1 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0144 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | -- |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 24 2014 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 58 |
| Airframe Hours | 3345 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | YIALAMAS CONSTANTINE G |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4483 OAKWOOD LN |
| Aircraft Owner City | NAZARETH |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 180649804 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Ace Pilot Training |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 600 Hayden Circle |
| Operator City | Allentown |
| Operator State | PA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 18109 |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | ABE |
| Departure City | Allentown |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | ABE |
| Destination City | Allentown |
| Destination State | PA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 31 2014 1:07PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| 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 | -- |