ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 117
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| Date: | Sunday 30 December 2007 |
| Time: | 03:06 |
| Type: |  Bell 206L-3 LongRanger III |
| Owner/operator: | Air Evac EMS Inc. |
| Registration: | N109AE |
| MSN: | 51317 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1989 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 5092 hours |
| Engine model: | Rolls-Royce 250-C30P |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Freedom Hills Wildlife Management Area, nr. Cherokee, AL -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | Muscle Shoals, AL |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The helicopter was maintaining a searchlight on a lost hunter as ground personnel attempted to execute a rescue. During the maneuver, the pilot was flying in an out-of-ground-effect hover, or very slow flight below effective translational lift, about 100 to 150 feet above the trees. The maneuver was contrary to the operations manual, which required a minimum altitude of 500 feet above ground level for night searches. It was also contrary to the operations manual as the maneuver fell inside the height-velocity diagram curve, published in the make and model rotorcraft flight manual (RFM). In addition, a company flight data analyst in the communications center was attempting to persuade the pilot to terminate the search due to safety concerns as the helicopter was flying low and slow. The helicopter began to spin right and descend into trees, consistent with loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE). During the spin, witnesses reported an engine noise increase and "fireball" coming from the exhaust, most likely as a result of an over-speed/over-temperature condition as the pilot increased engine power attempting to recover from the spin. Review of the RFM did not reveal any information on LTE; however, the operator maintained an LTE training program, which the pilot had completed. Additionally, the Federal Aviation Administration had previously published Advisory Circular (AC) 90-95, which stated that LTE is not related to a maintenance malfunction and may occur in varying degrees in all single main rotor helicopters at airspeeds less than 30 knots. The AC further stated that flight operations at low altitude and low airspeed are particularly susceptible to LTE, with greater susceptibility in right turns. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during an out-of-ground-effect hover. Contributing to the accident was a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20080109X00032&key=1
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 4 March 2002 | N227H | Action Helicopter Service | 0 | Tulsa, Oklahoma | |
sub |
Location
Images:
(c) NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Jan-2008 07:41 | JINX | Added |
| 15-Jan-2009 10:53 | harro | Updated |
| 08-Sep-2014 20:54 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:13 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:14 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:16 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:20 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 04-Dec-2017 19:03 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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