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20030327012439A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Bell 407 · Broaddus, TX · March 27, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
March 27, 2003 · 18:26 local
Place
Broaddus, TX
Phase of flight
Low Level Operations
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator
PG9A
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N175PA
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW03FA118
Reported as
Bell 407
Reported engine
Allison 250C47B
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
Pilot’s flight hours
8,741 total125 in the last 90 days
N175PARegistered now · Bell 407S/N 53154 · Built 1997Airframe modelBell 407Engine modelAllison 250-C20 seriesTurbo-prop

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.

(-23) On March 27, 2003, at 1626 central daylight time, a Bell 407 helicopter, registration N175PA, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Broaddus, Texas. The commercial pilot and the observer aboard the helicopter were fatally injured. Three passengers sustained serious injuries. The helicopter, serial number 53154, was owned and operated by papillon helicopters, a 135 on demand operator, certificate number PG9A. The helicopter was participating in a public use operation in the columbia shuttle recovery project and was temporarily base in the lufkin, Texas area. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. Initial indications reveal the engine lost power. Interviews of two of the surviving passengers also show evidence of the engine failure. The fadec for the rolls royce 250-C47 engine was recovered for analysis at the engine manufacturer's facility. Teardown of the units have initially shown that the power lever potentiometer had failed, allowing the engine to go to a minimum fuel flow condition. More tests are scheduled.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON MARCH 27, 2003, AT 1626 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 407 HELICOPTER, REGISTRATION N175PA, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR BROADDUS, TEXAS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND THE OBSERVER ABOARD THE HELICOPTER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THREE PASSENGERS SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE HELICOPTER, SERIAL NUMBER 53154, WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY PAPILLON HELICOPTERS, A 135 ON DEMAND OPERATOR, CERTIFICATE NUMBER PG9A. THE HELICOPTER WAS PARTICIPATING IN A PUBLIC USE OPERATION IN THE COLUMBIA SHUTTLE RECOVERY PROJECT AND WAS TEMPORARILY BASE IN THE LUFKIN, TEXAS AREA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. INITIAL INDICATIONS REVEAL THE ENGINE LOST POWER. INTERVIEWS OF TWO OF THE SURVIVING PASSENGERS ALSO SHOW EVIDENCE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE. THE FADEC FOR THE ROLLS ROYCE 250-C47 ENGINE WAS RECOVERED FOR ANALYSIS AT THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER'S FACILITY. TEARDOWN OF THE UNITS HAVE INITIALLY SHOWN THAT THE POWER LEVER POTENTIOMETER HAD FAILED, ALLOWING THE ENGINE TO GO TO A MINIMUM FUEL FLOW CONDITION. MORE TESTS ARE SCHEDULED.

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 FTW03FA118Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportBroadus, TXThe partial loss of engine power due to erratic fuel flow metering to the engine resulting from the single point failure of the PLA potentiometer in the hydro-mechanical fuel control unit. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain to execute a…Mar 27, 2003 · Destroyed

Other reports on N175PA · 1

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

Accident 20000416005779AGrand Canyon, AZ(-23) During cruise flight, the pilot felt a severe vibration eminating from the rear portion of the helicopter. The pilot immediately entered autorotation to an open field. During the auto rotational flare, the tail rotor struck a rock causing damage to the…Apr 16, 2000 · No damage