Editor’s Note: Although an accident is painful for all involved, a cursory review of what accidents have occurred are both reflective and instructive. Accident reports give us unique insights into specific flights and situations that may make each of us reflect on our own operations or current flying environment. I encourage pilots, mechanics, crewmembers, and decision makers to make it a habit to study the industry’s recent accident history. If they trigger a higher awareness that saves even one life or one airframe, it will have been worth the read.
craft hours. The pilot held an FAA commercial
pilot certificate with a rating for lighter- than-air balloon, and a private pilot certifi- cate with a rating for rotorcraft-helicopter. His most recent FAA third class medical certificate was issued March 30, 2011. The pilot reported 850 total hours of flight experience on that date. At 1853, the weather observation at Hartford-Brainard Airport (HFD), 9 miles east of the accident site included clear skies, temperature 19C, dewpoint -3 C, and winds from 190 at 8 knots. At 1753, the winds were from 190 at 7 knots, and at 1653, the winds were from 170 at 7 knots gusting to 15 knots.
CEN12FA250 - PRELIMINARY INJURIES: 7 UNINJURED
On April 17, 2012, about 1155 central
daylight time, a Sikorsky S-76B helicop- ter, N56RD, was substantially damaged after ditching near an off-shore drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana. The pilot and six passengers were not injured. The helicopter was registered to and operated by a commercial operator, under the pro- visions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, as a business flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed at 1110 from Acadiana Regional Airport (ARA), New Iberia, Louisiana, and was destined for the drilling rig where the ditching occurred. The pilot reported that he was just
over the landing pad at an off-shore drilling rig when the helicopter had a sud- den loss of power. To avoid a hard landing on the deck, he attempted to abort the landing, but was unable to regain fly-away speed. After an emergency landing to the water, the pilot attempted to water-taxi in 5-foot seas when the tail boom partially separated from the fuselage. A rescue vessel quickly responded and all seven persons successfully evacuated with no injuries.
The attempt to recover the helicopter
was unsuccessful and it sank in 310 feet of water. When the wreckage is recov- ered, it will be transported to an on-shore secure location for examination.
CEN12LA247 - PRELIMINARY INJURIES: 2 UNINJURED
On April 17, 2012, about 1116 central
daylight time, a Hughes 269A, N69HJ, experienced ground resonance during takeoff at Grinnell Regional Airport (GGI), Grinnell, Iowa. The pilot subsequently aborted the takeoff. The certificated airline transport pilot and a passenger were uninjured. The helicopter sustained sub- stantial damage to the fuselage. The heli- copter was registered to commercial operator and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions pre- vailed and a flight plan had not been filed for the local flight that was originating at the time of the accident.
ANC12CA032 - FACTUAL INJURIES: 1 UNINJURED
The pilot flew to a practice area and
landed the helicopter (Robinson R22) on what the pilot thought was firm snow. As he landed, the helicopter suddenly broke through the surface, and its tailrotor struck the snow. The pilot repositioned the heli- copter, and the tailrotor chip light illumi- nated. An inspection showed that the tail- rotor driveshaft had sheared.
CEN12LA258 - PRELIMINARY INJURIES: 2 MINOR
On April 26, 2012, about 1652 central
daylight time, a Bell 206B helicopter, N2068X, impacted terrain while landing at Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport (AMA), Amarillo, Texas The pilot and passenger suffered minor injuries and the helicopter was substantially dam-
aged. The helicopter was registered to and operated by a commercial operator, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, as an aerial surveillance flight. Day visual meteorolog- ical conditions prevailed and a visual flight rules flight plan was not filed. The helicop- ter was destined for AMA and had depart- ed about 1600 from Moore County Airport (DUX), Dumas, Texas. The pilot reported that he was aware
of a very large storm system nearby and was making an approach to the southeast and was landing “straight in to the hangar”. As he began to flare to stop the descent his cyclic stick was hindered by interference from a laptop computer in the left seat passenger’s lap and the passen- ger immediately moved the obstructing laptop computer. The helicopter was then about level with the hangar roof when the nose of the helicopter pitched up and the nose of the helicopter began a sudden uncommanded turn spinning to the right. The pilot reported that left pedal input had no effect and he had only partial control as the helicopter made a full 360 degree spinning turn, descended and impacted terrain. Both occupants exited the heli- copter unassisted. At 1653 a weather observation at
AMA reported: wind from 120 degrees true at 19 knots gusting to 25 knots, visibility 10 statute miles or greater, thunderstorm, few clouds at 9,000 feet agl, scattered clouds at 11,000 feet agl, temperature 28 degrees Celsius, dew point temp 14 degrees Celsius, altimeter 29.84 inches Hg, peak wind during previous hour from 110 degrees true at 27 knots at 1634, thunder- storm began at 1647, sea-level pressure 1005.4 hPa, hourly temperature 27.8 degrees Celsius and hourly dew point temperature 14.4 degrees Celsius. 7
Fly Safe! Be Safe!
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