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20000111004639A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Arofal OH-58C · Lindrith, NM · January 11, 2000

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
January 11, 2000 · 12:15 local
Place
Lindrith, NM
Phase of flight
Low Level Operations
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N31JA
NTSB investigation
NTSBDEN00TA042
Reported as
Arofal OH58C
Reported engine
Allison T63A720
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
2,300 total225 in this make and model80 in the last 90 days
N31JARegistration cancelled Oct 3, 2005 · Bell OH-58CS/N 71-20773Airframe modelBell OH-58C

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.

(.4) The pilot was conducting an annual game survey with three employees of the jicarilla game and fish department. He had been airborne for approximately 2 hours, and was planning on returning for fuel. While flying on an easterly heading at 35 knots and 100 ft. AGL in calm winds, the pilot initiated a shallow right turn and the aircraft started a yaw to the right. Left pedal was applied to counteract the movement with no effect. The pilot lowered collective to reduce the torque and the aircraft began to spin to the right. He closed the throttle to the flight idle position to reduce torque on the airframe. The aircraft continued to spin and as it was approaching the ground, he pulled the pitch back to cushion the landing. The helicopter impacted the top of a pinion tree and came to rest on its right side. The day following the accident, an FAA maintenance inspector performed an inspection of the tail rotor system and no discrepancies were found. Density altitude at the accident site was calculated to be 7,240 feet above MSL.

As the FAA filed it

(.4) THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING AN ANNUAL GAME SURVEY WITH THREE EMPLOYEES OF THE JICARILLA GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT. HE HAD BEEN AIRBORNE FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS, AND WAS PLANNING ON RETURNING FOR FUEL. WHILE FLYING ON AN EASTERLY HEADING AT 35 KNOTS AND 100 FT. AGL IN CALM WINDS, THE PILOT INITIATED A SHALLOW RIGHT TURN AND THE AIRCRAFT STARTED A YAW TO THE RIGHT. LEFT PEDAL WAS APPLIED TO COUNTERACT THE MOVEMENT WITH NO EFFECT. THE PILOT LOWERED COLLECTIVE TO REDUCE THE TORQUE AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SPIN TO THE RIGHT. HE CLOSED THE THROTTLE TO THE FLIGHT IDLE POSITION TO REDUCE TORQUE ON THE AIRFRAME. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO SPIN AND AS IT WAS APPROACHING THE GROUND, HE PULLED THE PITCH BACK TO CUSHION THE LANDING. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE TOP OF A PINION TREE AND CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE DAY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, AN FAA MAINTENANCE INSPECTOR PERFORMED AN INSPECTION OF THE TAIL ROTOR SYSTEM AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND. DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS CALCULATED TO BE 7,240 FEET ABOVE MSL.

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 DEN00TA042Accident · Serious injuriesFinal reportLindrith, NMLoss of tail rotor effectiveness while maneuvering. A factor was the high density altitude.Jan 11, 2000 · Substantial damage