Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Central Texas Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Temple, Texas 76501
Thursday, June 26, 2014 15:02 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On June 26, 2014, about 1502 central daylight time, a Eurocopter AS350B3, N808LF, operated by Air Methods of Englewood, Colorado, experienced an anti-torque pedal anomaly during takeoff from the Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport, Temple, Texas. The pilot executed a precautionary hovering autorotation and the helicopter sustained minor damage. All three occupants, the pilot and 2 flight crew members were not injured. The positioning flight was being conducted under the provisions of Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and the intended destination was Hamilton, Texas.
After an uneventful Air Medical Flight, the pilot landed the helicopter at Temple at 1437 for refueling for the return flight to the helicopter's Hamilton, Texas base. The pilot reported that his preflight checks were normal. After a courtesy radio call to Temple UNICOM, the pilot initiated takeoff. Immediately after takeoff, the helicopter started a counter clockwise yaw. The pilot stated that the anti-torque pedals were locked in the neutral position and felt jammed. He attempted to correct the rotation but was unable. After rotating several times, he executed a hovering autorotation. All the occupants exited the helicopter uninjured after the pilot shut down the helicopter.
Post-incident examination of the helicopter and it's hydraulic system was conducted on July15, 2014. The reported anti-torque pedal condition could not be duplicated during systems tests of the hydraulic system. Detailed results of the examination will be reported in the final incident report.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 6/26/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1502 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Temple |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 76501 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 310906N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0972427E |
| Event Location Airport | 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 682 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1515 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 | 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) | 20 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 170 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA 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 | Sep 8 2014 11:08PM |
| User who most recently changed record | lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N808LF |
| NTSB Number | CEN14IA329 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | EUROCOPTER |
| Aircraft Model | AS 350 B3 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 4983 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | -- |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | 2 |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 6 |
| Number of Engines | -- |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | PNC BANK NA TRUSTEE |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4355 W EMERALD ST STE 100R |
| Aircraft Owner City | BOISE |
| Aircraft Owner State | ID |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 837062053 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Air Methods |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 7301 Peoria |
| Operator City | Englewood |
| Operator State | CO |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 80112 |
| 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) | Positioning |
| 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 | 1502 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Hamilton |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 8 2014 11:08PM |
| User who most recently changed record | lema |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |