# Incident 20050803020179I: Agusta A119, Fort Pierce, FL, August 3, 2005

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 3, 2005, 11:30 local time
- Place: Fort Pierce, FL
- Airport: St Lucie County International
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.4256° N, 80.3404° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Fort Pierce, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.4256&lon=-80.3404&mi=10
- Aircraft: N911SL (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: AGUSTA A119
- Reported engine: PWA PT6B37A
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,450 total, 20 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050803020179I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) ON AUGUST 3, 2005, AT APPROXIMATELY 2230 THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS PILOT IN COMMAND OF N911SL, AN AUGUSTA A119 OPERATED BY THE ST. LUCIE COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE (SLCSO), DURING A SEARCH LIGHT FAMILIARIZATION FLIGHT WITH CHIEF PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. A PARAMEDIC WAS IN THE CABIN OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT COMPLETED THREE CIRCUITS OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERN WITH FULL STOPS AT EACH. DURING THE FOURTH DEPARTURE, ON CLIMB OUT, THEY EXPERIENCED A VIBRATION IN THE AIRFRAME AT APPROXIMATELY 60 KNOTS. THE CLIMB OUT WAS CONTINUED TO 700 FT AND BOTH CREWMEMBERS NOTICED A SLIGHT DROP IN N2 AND NR TO 98%. THEY DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE SLCSO MAINTENANCE HANGAR LOCATED ON THE AIRPORT. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE APPROACH, AS POWER WAS PULLED IN THE VIBRATION BECAME MORE NOTICEABLE AND THE N2 AND NR DECREASED RAPIDLY. THEY BOTTOMED THE COLLECTIVE AND PERFORMED A RUN ON LANDING. THE TAILSKID CONTACTED THE GROUND FIRST, FOLLOWED BY THE AFT SKIDS. THE AIRCRAFT ROCKED FORWARD ONTO THE TOES OF THE SKIDS AND THE SEARCHLIGHT AND LOWER WIRE CUTTER CONTACTED THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED BACK ON THE SKIDS AND THE CREW SHUT DOWN THE AIRCRAFT AND DEPARTED. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT FOUND THE BOTTOM VERTICAL FIN BROKEN AND BENT AFT. THE SEARCHLIGHT ON THE BELLY OF THE AIRCRAFT HAD ABRASIONS ON THE BOTTOM AND A BROKEN LENS. THE LOWER WIRE CUTTER HAD LOST ITS SACRIFICIAL TIP. AGUSTA REPRESENTATIVE, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THERE ARE VIBRATION ABSORBERS THAT COMPENSATE FOR VIBRATIONS AT 100% POWER. HE SAID ANYTHING LESS THAN 100% AND A VIBRATION WILL BE FELT. THE PRATT & WHITNEY REPRESENTATIVE, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SAID THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM SERVICE BULLETINS ON THIS MODEL. THE ENGINE AND RELATED COMPONENTS WILL BE REMOVED AND SENT TO P&W IN CANADA FOR ANALYSIS.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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