What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On December 18, 2000, pilot herbert risely schutt, jr., holder of certificate number 77347940, was pilot-in-command of N89SM, an aereospatiale-dauphin SA-365N-1 helicopter that departed alleghey county airport, west mifflin, PA (agc). This flight was a maintenance test flight for main rotor balance and tracking. The helicopter crahsed at approximately 15:30 local time while attempting to land on runway 23 with a pilot reported loss of tail rotor control. Pilot herbert risley schutt, jr. and one maintenance person, jay maines, were seriously injured and a second maintenance person, al lundy, had minor injuries. On-scene investigation conducted on December 18 and December 19, 2000, by this office, revealed the following information. Helicopter M89SM had substantial damage during the emergency landing. The tail rotor fenestron pitch change servo actuating rod end was not attached to the operating bellcrank. The tail rotor gearbox, and tail rotor control pitch change servo were retained and shipped to American Eurocopter in grand prairie, Texas. A complete teardown analysis was conducted on January 3, 2001, with NTSB and/or FAA in attendance. A preliminary investigator's statement was sent to this office from the NTSB. The report indicates the tail rotor gearbox input duplex bearing failed, and further examination by the NTSB materials laboratory will be conducted. The aircraft evaluation group and responsible individuals at AEA-FSDO-03 were notified fo this finding. All FAA responsibilities for this accident have and were completed with submission of this report.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON DECEMBER 18, 2000, PILOT HERBERT RISELY SCHUTT, JR., HOLDER OF CERTIFICATE NUMBER 77347940, WAS PILOT-IN-COMMAND OF N89SM, AN AEREOSPATIALE-DAUPHIN SA-365N-1 HELICOPTER THAT DEPARTED ALLEGHEY COUNTY AIRPORT, WEST MIFFLIN, PA (AGC). THIS FLIGHT WAS A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT FOR MAIN ROTOR BALANCE AND TRACKING. THE HELICOPTER CRAHSED AT APPROXIMATELY 15:30 LOCAL TIME WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 23 WITH A PILOT REPORTED LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR CONTROL. PILOT HERBERT RISLEY SCHUTT, JR. AND ONE MAINTENANCE PERSON, JAY MAINES, WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED AND A SECOND MAINTENANCE PERSON, AL LUNDY, HAD MINOR INJURIES. ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED ON DECEMBER 18 AND DECEMBER 19, 2000, BY THIS OFFICE, REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION.HELICOPTER M89SM HAD SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING. THE TAIL ROTOR FENESTRON PITCH CHANGE SERVO ACTUATING ROD END WAS NOT ATTACHED TO THE OPERATING BELLCRANK. THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX, AND TAIL ROTOR CONTROL PITCH CHANGE SERVO WERE RETAINED AND SHIPPED TO AMERICAN EUROCOPTER IN GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS. A COMPLETE TEARDOWN ANALYSIS WAS CONDUCTED ON JANUARY 3, 2001, WITH NTSB AND/OR FAA IN ATTENDANCE. A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATOR'S STATEMENT WAS SENT TO THIS OFFICE FROM THE NTSB. THE REPORT INDICATES THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX INPUT DUPLEX BEARING FAILED, AND FURTHER EXAMINATION BY THE NTSB MATERIALS LABORATORY WILL BE CONDUCTED. THE AIRCRAFT EVALUATION GROUP AND RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUALS AT AEA-FSDO-03 WERE NOTIFIED FO THIS FINDING. ALL FAA RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THIS ACCIDENT HAVE AND WERE COMPLETED WITH SUBMISSION OF THIS REPORT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.