# Accident 19990925027729A: Kaman HH43F, Phoenix, AZ, September 25, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 25, 1999, 06:42 local time - Place: Phoenix, AZ - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Normal Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Operator: UEML - Location: 33.6795° N, 112.0895° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6795&lon=-112.0895&mi=10 - Aircraft: N100PL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N100PL-2013-03-18) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Kaman HH-43F (registry code 4800708, https://openairdocs.org/model/kaman-hh-43f) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: KAMAN HH43F - Reported engine: LYC T53L13B - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - Pilot flight hours: 1,739 total, 20 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99FA317](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99FA317) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990925027729A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON SEPTEMBER 25, 1999, ABOUT 0650 HOURS MOUNTAIN TIME, A KAMAN HH-43F HELICOPTER, N100PL, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN AT PHOENIX, ARIZONA. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT AND CREWMAN WERE BOTH FATALLY INJURED. MOSELEY AVIATION, INC., LITCHFIELD, ARIZONA WAS OPERATING THE POSITIONING FLIGHT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED OFF-AIRPORT AT THE WEST END OF PHOENIX AND WAS FOLLOWING THE CENTRAL ARIZONA PROJECT CANAL EASTBOUND TO PERFORM AN OFF-AIRPORT LIFT OPERATION. EN ROUTE THE PILOT CONTACTED THE PHOENIX-DEER VALLEY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT CONTROL TOWER FOR PERMISSION TO TRANSITION THROUGH THEIR AIRSPACE WEST TO EAST ON THE NORTH SIDE. THE REQUEST WAS APPROVED. ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER, THE TOWER WAS ADVISED OF THE ACCIDENT APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES IN THE ACCIDENT AREA, THE HELICOPTER EXPLODED OR DISINTEGRATED IN FLIGHT OVER THE CANAL. HELICOPTER ROTOR BLADE PARTS WERE FOUND ON BOTH SIDES AND IN THE CANAL. THE MAIN WRECKAGE WAS FOUND ABOUT 200 FEET SOUTHEAST OF THE CANAL. THE TAIL STABILIZER GROUP WAS FOUND ABO UT 200 FEET SOUTHEAST OF THE CANAL. THE TAIL STABILIZER GROUP WAS FOUND ABOUT WEST OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE. (.4)GROUND WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE HELICOPTER DISINTEGRATE IN-FLIGHT, ABOUT 250 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NEARLY INVERTED ATTITUDE, SCATTERING ROTOR BLADE FRAGMENTS ON BOTH SIDES OF A CANAL. THE EX-MILITARY, MEDIUM LIFT HELICOPTER WITH TWIN INTERMESHING ROTORS WAS EN ROUTE TO PERFORM AN OFF-AIRPORT LIFT OPERATION. IT OPERATED IN THE 'RESTRICTED' CATEGORY AND WAS REQUIRED TO FLY OVER UNPOPULATED AREAS. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, IT WAS FLYING PARALLEL WITH A CANAL. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE FIXED HORIZONTAL STABILIZER LEFT OUTBOARD LEADING EDGE ATTACH FITTING HAD FRACTURED AND EXHIBITED EVIDENCE OF A PRE-EXISTING CRACK. A SECOND ATTACH FITTING AFT OF THE LEADING EDGE ATTACHMENT WAS ALSO FRACTURED. ADDITIONALLY, THE OPERATOR HAD INSTALLED AUTOMOTIVE DAMPERS IN LEAD-LAG POSITIONS ON THE ROTOR BLADES. (-23) PILOT WAS ENROUTE TO CONDUCT AN EXTERNAL LIFT JOB (FAR - 133) IN CRUISE FLIGHT @APPROX. 250 FT. (AGL) WHEN THE HELICOPTER BEGAN AN IN-FLIGHT BREAK-UP SCATTERING HELICOPTER ROTOR BLADE PIECES AND OTHER COMPONENTS ALONG AN APPROX. 300 YARDS DEBRIS TRAIL. THE MAIN BODY OF THE WRECKAGE CAME TO REST UPSIDE DOWN WITH THE TWO (2) OCCUPANTS UNDERNEATH, FATALLY INJURED. A SMALL FIRE WAS QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED BY A NEARBY WITNESS. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB LAX99FA317](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99FA317), Sep 25, 1999: Kaman HH-43F (N100PL), Phoenix, AZ, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: Failure of the horizontal stabilizer left outboard forward attach point because of a previously existing crack that resulted from inadequate maintenance inspection by the operator. A factor was the… ## Other reports on N100PL (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19921211050309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19921211050309A), Dec 11, 1992: Kaman HH43F (N100PL), Columbia, SC, Substantial damage. Engine spooled down while hooking sling load of logs. Autorotated into trees. Fuel shut off solenoid failed. - [Accident 19920409043079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920409043079A), Apr 9, 1992: Kaman HH43FCHOPPER (N100PL), Manteo, NC, Substantial damage. Attempted hover landing in crosswind. On fifth attempt main rotor blade hit empennage and severed it. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.