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19990316002459A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Hiller FH-1100 · Opp, AL · March 16, 1999

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
March 16, 1999 · 10:01 local
Place
Opp, AL
Phase of flight
Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N547FH
NTSB investigation
NTSBMIA99LA107
Reported as
Hiller FH1100
Reported engine
Allison 250C18
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
26,000 total2,100 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days
N547FHRegistration cancelled Feb 15, 2018 · Fairchild Hiller FH-1100S/N 47 · Built 1967Airframe modelFairchild Hiller FH-1100Engine modelAllison 250 SER 250HPTurbo-shaft

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

1967 Fairchild Hiller FH1100 helicopter lifted off, lost power, and the main rotor struck the cab of a pickup truck, other circumstances are unknown. (-23) fairchild Hiller helicopter N547FJH lost power during liftoff from helipad, a flat bed trailer attached to a truck. After refueling, and taking on more chemicals, the pilot reported that when he lifted off the trailer, the helicopter's engine lost power, causing the helicopter to settle downward, resulting in the main rotor blades striking the cab of the truck. The helicopter was substantially damaged. The commercial rated pilot reported no injuries. The flight was originating at the time. (.4) the helicopter had completed a 2-hour aerial application flight and returned to the helipad to refuel and reload. The helipad was a flat bed trailer attached to a truck. After refueling and taking on more chemicals, the pilot reported that when he lifted off the trailer, the helicopter's engine lost power, causing the helicopter to settle downward, resulting in the main rotor blades striking the cab of the truck. Examination of the helicopter revealed the engine to transmission drive shaft flex coupling had failed. Corrosion was found on both flex coupling components.

As the FAA filed it

1967 FAIRCHILD HILLER FH1100 HELICOPTER LIFTED OFF, LOST POWER, AND THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE CAB OF A PICKUP TRUCK, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (-23) FAIRCHILD HILLER HELICOPTER N547FJH LOST POWER DURING LIFTOFF FROM HELIPAD, A FLAT BED TRAILER ATTACHED TO A TRUCK. AFTER REFUELING, AND TAKING ON MORE CHEMICALS, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE LIFTED OFF THE TRAILER, THE HELICOPTER'S ENGINE LOST POWER, CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO SETTLE DOWNWARD, RESULTING IN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRIKING THE CAB OF THE TRUCK. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME. (.4) THE HELICOPTER HAD COMPLETED A 2-HOUR AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT AND RETURNED TO THE HELIPAD TO REFUEL AND RELOAD. THE HELIPAD WAS A FLAT BED TRAILER ATTACHED TO A TRUCK. AFTER REFUELING AND TAKING ON MORE CHEMICALS, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE LIFTED OFF THE TRAILER, THE HELICOPTER'S ENGINE LOST POWER, CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO SETTLE DOWNWARD, RESULTING IN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRIKING THE CAB OF THE TRUCK. EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER REVEALED THE ENGINE TO TRANSMISSION DRIVE SHAFT FLEX COUPLING HAD FAILED. CORROSION WAS FOUND ON BOTH FLEX COUPLING COMPONENTS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB MIA99LA107Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportOpp, ALa loss of engine power due to the failure of the engine to transmission drive shaft flex coupling, resulting in an in-flight collision with a vehicle.Mar 16, 1999 · Substantial damage