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20030712017769A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Skrsky S-58ET · Ranchopalosverd, CA · July 12, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 12, 2003 · 10:28 local
Place
Ranchopalosverd, CA
Phase of flight
Hovering
Operating rules
Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator
CAXL
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N15AH
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX03FA232
Reported as
Skrsky S58ET
Reported engine
Pratt & Whitney PT6T6
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
14,500 total1,500 in this make and model100 in the last 90 days
N15AHRegistration cancelled Jul 7, 2017 · Sikorsky S-58ETS/N 58-1563 · Built 1962Airframe modelSikorsky S-58ETEngine modelPratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-6Turbo-shaft

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 July 12, 2003 N15AH as involved in 14 CFR part 133 operations at miralest intermediate school removing air conditioning units from the roofs of the numerous school buildings. The units weighed between 500 and 3,500 lbs. Each. While performing approximately the 29th load the helicopter experienced a loss of tail rotor thrust. The helicopter began an uncontrolled descent and impacted the ground destroying the helicopter. The pilot made a statement while in the hospital that he experienced a chip detector light from the intermediate gearbox approximately 20 minutes prior to the intermediate gearbox failure. The pilot stated there was only carbon on the chip detector at that time and after cleaning the chip detector he elected to continue the external load operations. The pilot claims that he saw no chip light when the intermediate gearbox failed. While inspecting the helicopter at the scene of the accident it was discovered that the intermediate gearbox chip detector was not installed.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON JULY 12, 2003 N15AH AS INVOLVED IN 14 CFR PART 133 OPERATIONS AT MIRALEST INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL REMOVING AIR CONDITIONING UNITS FROM THE ROOFS OF THE NUMEROUS SCHOOL BUILDINGS. THE UNITS WEIGHED BETWEEN 500 AND 3,500 LBS. EACH. WHILE PERFORMING APPROXIMATELY THE 29TH LOAD THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR THRUST. THE HELICOPTER BEGAN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AND IMPACTED THE GROUND DESTROYING THE HELICOPTER. THE PILOT MADE A STATEMENT WHILE IN THE HOSPITAL THAT HE EXPERIENCED A CHIP DETECTOR LIGHT FROM THE INTERMEDIATE GEARBOX APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE INTERMEDIATE GEARBOX FAILURE. THE PILOT STATED THERE WAS ONLY CARBON ON THE CHIP DETECTOR AT THAT TIME AND AFTER CLEANING THE CHIP DETECTOR HE ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATIONS. THE PILOT CLAIMS THAT HE SAW NO CHIP LIGHT WHEN THE INTERMEDIATE GEARBOX FAILED. WHILE INSPECTING THE HELICOPTER AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE GEARBOX CHIP DETECTOR WAS NOT INSTALLED.

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 LAX03FA232Accident · Serious injuriesField investigationFinal reportRancho P.Verdes, CAA total loss of antitorque control, due to the fatigue-induced failure of a gear within the drive shaft's intermediate gear box (IGB). Contributing factors were the pilot's improper on-ground decision to continue flight operations following discovery of…Jul 12, 2003 · Destroyed