CONTINUED
had been filed. The purpose of the flight was for the
CFI to provide instruction to the PUI, who had recently been hired by the operator. After performing numerous maneuvers, the CFI was conducting a simulated engine failure, which he intended to termi- nate with a power recovery. During the maneuver, the CFI configured the helicop- ter for an appropriate airspeed and while descending through 200 feet above ground level (agl), he began to roll the throttle in an attempt to increase engine power. The throttle grip was seized and he could not manipulate the control to increase the power. The CFI performed a full down
autorotation and the helicopter touched down on the dirt terrain. The helicopter’s nose tipped downward and then it rocked back on the skids, resulting in the main rotor blades severing the tailboom. The helicopter came to rest about 3 nautical miles northeast of the Valle Airport.
CEN13FA344 - PRELIMINARY INJURIES: 1 FATAL, 1 SERIOUS, 2 MINOR
On June 11, 2013, at 1830 central
daylight time, N935EM, a Eurocopter AS350B2 helicopter, was substantially damaged after impacting terrain during takeoff at Choctaw Indian Hospital Heliport (OK35), Talihina, Oklahoma. A small post impact fire ensued. The pas- senger was fatally injured, the flight nurse was seriously injured, and the pilot and flight paramedic sustained minor injuries. The helicopter was operated by a com- mercial EMS helicopter operator. Day visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident and a company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 emergency medical service flight. The helicopter was destined for St. Francis Hospital Heliport (4OK3), Tulsa, Oklahoma. When the helicopter landed at OK35,
another helicopter had just landed and was occupying the single space helipad sur- face. The helicopter landed and shut down on the asphalt surface of a road adjacent to
48 August 2013
the helipad. The first helicopter departed at 1728 and the accident helicopter remained parked on the road for the next hour. According to the pilot, after the pas-
senger and medical crew were loaded into the helicopter, he began a normal takeoff from a hover, and intended to fol- low the center of the road in a westbound direction. When the helicopter was 175 feet west from the takeoff location, the left side of the rotor blade disk impacted a 41 foot tall metal light pole, which was locat- ed on the left side of the road. Control of the helicopter was lost and the helicopter came to rest on its right side, about 230 feet from the takeoff position.
ERA13CA283 - FACTUAL ACCIDENT OCCURRED WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 2013 IN MORGANTOWN, WV AIRCRAFT: HUGHES TH-55A, REGISTRATION: N7057H INJURIES: 1 UNINJURED
The pilot was attempting to reposition
the helicopter from an off-airport site in advance of an approaching storm. Following an uneventful preflight inspection and engine start, the pilot climbed the heli- copter into a hover and turned toward his intended departure path. He then pushed the cyclic control forward and increased the collective pitch in order to clear some approaching trees. The pilot then realized that “appropriate power” was not available, and turned right in order to avoid the trees. The helicopter subsequently settled with power and impacted the brush below, resulting in substantial damage to the air- frame. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or fail- ures of the helicopter, nor were any discov- ered during a post-accident examination of the airframe and engine conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector. The pilot additionally stated that the acci- dent could have been prevented with “bet- ter situational awareness.”
CEN13FA357 - PRELIMINARY INJURIES: 1 FATAL
On June 19, 2013, at 0812 central
daylight time, a Bell 47G-3B-1 single- engine helicopter, N5024N, impacted a residential garage while maneuvering near Maplewood, Minnesota. The com- mercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The helicopter was destroyed by impact and post-crash fire. The helicopter was registered to and operated by a commercial helicopter operator, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an aerial application flight. Visual meteoro- logical conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. The flight originated from a remote staging area at 0805. According to the operator, the heli-
copter departed Flying Cloud Airport, Minneapolis, Minnesota, approximately 0730, and flew to a remote staging area near Maplewood, to be loaded with a mosquito control dry chemical. The heli- copter was loaded with 640 pounds of dry chemical and departed the staging area. A witness observed the helicopter
applying the chemical at one of the desig- nated areas, which was located just south of the staging area. The helicopter was then observed to depart that location. Additional witnesses observed the heli- copter traveling south to north near the accident location. The helicopter was observed to lose altitude, turn or roll to the left, and descend. Witnesses lost sight of the helicopter behind some residential houses. The helicopter impacted a residential
garage and a post-crash fire ensued. The helicopter came to rest on its left side, and the fuselage was consumed by fire. A portable global positioning system (GPS) was located in the wreckage and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory, Washington, DC, for examination and data extraction.
CEN13LA359 - PRELIMINARY INJURIES: 3 UNINJURED
On June 19, 2013, at 1620 central
daylight time, N467AE, a Bell 206L-4 hel- icopter sustained substantial damage when it made a forced landing after a par-
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