ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 75921
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| Date: | Wednesday 30 April 1997 |
| Time: | 18:10 LT |
| Type: |  MBB BK 117A-1 |
| Owner/operator: | Keystone Helicopters |
| Registration: | N122LF |
| MSN: | 7002 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1983 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 5570 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming LTS101-650 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Kane, PA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Bellefont, PA (N96) |
| (NONE) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
After a 30 minute flight to his destination, the pilot found the hospital helipad, which was about a 200 square foot area, with 40 foot high wires on the north side, and 35 to 50 feet high trees surrounding the rest of the area. A windsock indicated about 3 to 5 knots winds from the west/southwest. During the approach from the southwest, the pilot descended vertically to the helipad. The pilot attempted to stop the rate of descent with the airspeed below 10 knots. The helicopter shuttered with the application of additional power. The helicopter yawed right, and 'the additional collective pitch seemed to have no effect on slowing the rate of descent, the rate of descent seemed to increase at this point.' The pilot determined that he did not have sufficient space to fly out of the area and at impact, all remaining collective pitch had been applied. No master caution or annunciator panel lights were noticed, nor was any audio tones heard. A helicopter aerodynamics manual described conditions conducive to settling with power, which included a vertical or near vertical descent of at least 300 feet per minute, engine power between 20 and 100 percent, during downwind steep approaches.
Probable Cause: The pilot's decision to perform a low airspeed vertical descent with a tailwind, which resulted in settling with power.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB IAD97LA070
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 25-Jul-2010 03:06 | Alpine Flight | Added |
| 20-Aug-2010 03:07 | TB | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 20-Aug-2010 04:51 | TB | Updated [Operator] |
| 20-Nov-2012 12:09 | TB | Updated [Time, Operator, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:25 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 08-Apr-2024 15:44 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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