20050714024169A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Aerosp SA365N · Valparaiso, IN · July 14, 2005

Date: July 14, 2005 · 16:10 local
Place: Valparaiso, IN
Airport: Porter County Municipal
Phase of flight: Hovering
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: BAQA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N365S
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI05FA192
Reported as: Aerosp SA365N
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 9,500 total500 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days

N365SRegistration cancelled Aug 9, 2010 · Aerospatiale SA365NS/N 6036 Airframe modelAerospatiale SA365N Engine modelTurbomeca ARRIEL-1SERTurbo-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) Pilot had aircraft in hover on an approximately 230-240 degree heading, 4-6 foot height. Pilot then began a pedal turn to right, aircraft got to approximately a 270 degree heading, pilot continued to apply right pedal aircraft would not turn any more. Aircraft then went into a sudden and uncommanded yaw to the left. Pilot was unable to stop yaw and at a heading of approximately 090 the tail of the aircraft struck a roof structure and rolled onto its right side.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT HAD AIRCRAFT IN HOVER ON AN APPROXIMATELY 230-240 DEGREE HEADING, 4-6 FOOT HEIGHT. PILOT THEN BEGAN A PEDAL TURN TO RIGHT, AIRCRAFT GOT TO APPROXIMATELY A 270 DEGREE HEADING, PILOT CONTINUED TO APPLY RIGHT PEDAL AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT TURN ANY MORE. AIRCRAFT THEN WENT INTO A SUDDEN AND UNCOMMANDED YAW TO THE LEFT. PILOT WAS UNABLE TO STOP YAW AND AT A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 090 THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A ROOF STRUCTURE AND ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE.

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 CHI05FA192Accident · No injuriesField investigationFinal reportValparaiso, INThe loose tail rotor drive shaft coupling due to its improper installation by the operator's maintenance personnel, which resulted in the failure of the tail rotor drive shaft. An additional cause was the inability of the pilot to maintain control of the…Jul 14, 2005 · Substantial damage