ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 31088
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| Date: | Thursday 10 April 1997 |
| Time: | 12:34 LT |
| Type: |  Bell OH-58A Kiowa |
| Owner/operator: | Indiana State Police |
| Registration: | N132SP |
| MSN: | 41817 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1972 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 2987 hours |
| Engine model: | ALLISON T63-A-720 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Seymour, IN -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Taxi |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | (KSEY) |
| (KSEY) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
State Police personnel were using the helicopter in connection with an Emergency Response Team (ERT) static drill. The helicopter was hovering about 1 foot above ground level as 4 ERT members (2 on each side) awaited hand signals from the lead member (first) to stabilize & then (second) to board the helicopter. According to the lead member, the first signal was given for each member to grab a strap & place 1 foot on a skid to stabilize (but not board) the helicopter; however, before the second signal was given, the helicopter began quickly moving to the right. The 2 ERT members on the left side were unable 'keep up' with the helicopter as it banked/climbed, and they fell to the ground. Both right side ERT members climbed aboard the helicopter when they were unable to remain clear of its path. The helicopter continued moving right & rolled into a steep bank. It gained about 10 feet of altitude before it entered a descent & crashed. Weight & balance calculations by Bell Helicopter showed that with the weight of 2 ERT members on the right skid (& no weight on the left), the helicopter's lateral center-of-gravity (CG) limit would have been exceeded by 4.3 inches. There was a flight step above & inboard from each skid. With weight of the 2 ERT members on the right step, the CG would have been exceeded by 3.2 inches). Bell reported the pilot would not have been able to maintain lateral control in either case.
Probable Cause: improper action(s) by one or more of the emergency response team members, during a hovering/loading sequence, which resulted in the helicopter's lateral center-of-gravity (CG) limitations to be exceeded. A factor associated with the accident was: the pilot's inability to maintain lateral control of the helicopter, once the lateral CG limits had been exceeded.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB CHI97GA103
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 16-May-2009 23:33 | harro | Updated |
| 08-Apr-2024 16:04 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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