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19990714009359A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Ccoptr TOMCAT MK5A · Camden, AL · July 14, 1999

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 14, 1999 · 19:30 local
Place
Camden, AL
Phase of flight
Low Level Operations
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N9086T
NTSB investigation
NTSBATL99LA107
Reported as
Ccoptr TOMCATMK5A
Reported engine
Lycoming VO435*
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
4,000 total300 in the last 90 days
N9086TRegistration cancelled May 17, 2013 · Continental Copters TOMCAT MK5AS/N CCI-78-1 · Built 1978Airframe modelContinental Copters TOMCAT MK5AEngine modelLycoming VO-435 seriesReciprocating

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.

Acft was involved in aerial application when the flight controls failed, the pilot lost control of the acft, and the acft crashed. (.4)the pilot had completed a second pass over the field he was spraying when he lost cyclic control of the helicopter. He reduced power and the helicopter impacted the ground, coming to rest on its right side. The helicopter's cyclic control rod was metallurgically examined. One end of the cyclic control rod had separated at the thread relief radius and the failure appeared consistent with an overstress separation. Hardness readings taken during an ultrasonic inspection revealed the tensile strength was below the original rod design strength.

As the FAA filed it

ACFT WAS INVOLVED IN AERIAL APPLICATION WHEN THE FLIGHT CONTROLS FAILED, THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT, AND THE ACFT CRASHED. (.4)THE PILOT HAD COMPLETED A SECOND PASS OVER THE FIELD HE WAS SPRAYING WHEN HE LOST CYCLIC CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER. HE REDUCED POWER AND THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND, COMING TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE HELICOPTER'S CYCLIC CONTROL ROD WAS METALLURGICALLY EXAMINED. ONE END OF THE CYCLIC CONTROL ROD HAD SEPARATED AT THE THREAD RELIEF RADIUS AND THE FAILURE APPEARED CONSISTENT WITH AN OVERSTRESS SEPARATION. HARDNESS READINGS TAKEN DURING AN ULTRASONIC INSPECTION REVEALED THE TENSILE STRENGTH WAS BELOW THE ORIGINAL ROD DESIGN STRENGTH.

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 ATL99LA107Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCamden, ALThe failure of the cyclic control rod due to an overstress separation resulting from a material defect (inadequate quality of material) by the manufacturer.Jul 14, 1999 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N9086T · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19880810033689AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Valley Park, MSOut of fuel shortly after takeoff. Ran out of rotor speed clearing wires. Causing a hard landing and damage.Aug 10, 1988 · Reported as Bell OH13HMK5A · Substantial damageAccident 19860805037749APwr Off Run Land (Autorotation · Indiantown, FLEngine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. Pilot was operating helicopter to spray crops without 137 certificate.Aug 5, 1986 · Reported as Bell OH13HMK5A · Substantial damage