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20040908034889A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Doug MD 900 · Mesa, AZ · September 8, 2004

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
September 8, 2004 · 16:00 local
Place
Mesa, AZ
Airport
Mcdonnell Douglas Heliport
Phase of flight
To Running(Helicopter/Vtol Ac)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N9016W
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX04LA333
Reported as
Doug MD900
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
653 total20 in this make and model
N9016WRegistration cancelled Apr 18, 2012 · Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter MD 900S/N 900-00016 · Built 1995Airframe modelMcdonnell Douglas Helicopter MD 900Engine modelPratt & Whitney Canada PW206ATurbo-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) Helicopter taxied from parking at Boeing Mesa airfield. It then performed several hovering maneuvers for approx. 10 minutes in the helicopter active runway area. The pilot then landed on helipad #3 for a short time to contact tower for take off clearance. There had been no unusual vibrations or control problems noted by the pilot during this time. Once cleared to depart the airport area the pilot initiated a take-off climb. At approximately 30-40 ft AGL the pilot experienced a severe high frequency vibration throughout the whole airframe. Collective was reduced to full down position and then reapplied just prior to touchdown for cushioning the landing rate of descent. Pilot reports vibration was present throughout the take off and landing, and a noticeable lack of directional control, as aircraft heading was unable to be maintained during landing. Aircraft touched down & slid approximately 300 feet before coming to rest four feet off the departure end of runway 22. Aircraft was shut down and secured. No visible damage was noted to exterior of the aircraft. However, once the notar fan access was opened, several fan pieces were observed in the shroud area. Runway inspection revealed other fan pieces along flight path.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) HELICOPTER TAXIED FROM PARKING AT BOEING MESA AIRFIELD. IT THEN PERFORMED SEVERAL HOVERING MANEUVERS FOR APPROX. 10 MINUTES IN THE HELICOPTER ACTIVE RUNWAY AREA. THE PILOT THEN LANDED ON HELIPAD #3 FOR A SHORT TIME TO CONTACT TOWER FOR TAKE OFF CLEARANCE. THERE HAD BEEN NO UNUSUAL VIBRATIONS OR CONTROL PROBLEMS NOTED BY THE PILOT DURING THIS TIME. ONCE CLEARED TO DEPART THE AIRPORT AREA THE PILOT INITIATED A TAKE-OFF CLIMB. AT APPROXIMATELY 30-40 FT AGL THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A SEVERE HIGH FREQUENCY VIBRATION THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE AIRFRAME. COLLECTIVE WAS REDUCED TO FULL DOWN POSITION AND THEN REAPPLIED JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN FOR CUSHIONING THE LANDING RATE OF DESCENT. PILOT REPORTS VIBRATION WAS PRESENT THROUGHOUT THE TAKE OFF AND LANDING, AND A NOTICEABLE LACK OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AS AIRCRAFT HEADING WAS UNABLE TO BE MAINTAINED DURING LANDING. AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN & SLID APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET BEFORE COMING TO REST FOUR FEET OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 22. AIRCRAFT WAS SHUT DOWN AND SECURED. NO VISIBLE DAMAGE WAS NOTED TO EXTERIOR OF THE AIRCRAFT. HOWEVER, ONCE THE NOTAR FAN ACCESS WAS OPENED, SEVERAL FAN PIECES WERE OBSERVED IN THE SHROUD AREA. RUNWAY INSPECTION REVEALED OTHER FAN PIECES ALONG FLIGHT PATH.

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 LAX04LA333Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMesa, AZfracture of a Tension-Torsion strap in the anti-torque fan due to progressive fiber failure of the composite strap material from compression and/or transverse shear stresses that occurred with repeated manipulation of the cockpit anti-torque control pedals…Sep 8, 2004 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N9016W · 1

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

Incident 20080610835209IDescent · Mesa, AZ(-23) On 6-10-08, [privacy data omitted] along with mechanics [privacy data omitted], and [privacy data omitted] performed a maintenance check flight of N9016W to check auto rotation RPM following maintenance. Following these checks [privacy data omitted]…Jun 10, 2008 · Minor damage