20050804017489A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Safari · Leavenworth, WA · August 4, 2005

Date: August 4, 2005 · 07:30 local
Place: Leavenworth, WA
Phase of flight: Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N13MA
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA05LA163
Reported as: Safari
Reported engine: Lycoming O320*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,040 total228 in this make and model41 in the last 90 days

N13MARegistration cancelled Sep 15, 2005 · Steele David L SAFARI HELICOPTERS/N BB2058 · Built 2000 Airframe modelSteele David L SAFARI HELICOPTER Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

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) After departing cashmere, WA, in cruise flight, a/c developed "buzz" and a momentary "yaw". PIC elected to make an autorotation to an open farmer's field. Flight terminated in a "hard landing" with "substantial damage" to the airframe. Main rotor struck and severed the tail boom, "flinging" the tail rotor drive shaft some 150 yards from the wreckage. An unknown person found the drive shaft and placed it next to the wreckage some time after the accident. There was no post landing fire and no injuries to the PIC. Aircraft condition inspection date: 02/04/2005.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AFTER DEPARTING CASHMERE, WA, IN CRUISE FLIGHT, A/C DEVELOPED "BUZZ" AND A MOMENTARY "YAW". PIC ELECTED TO MAKE AN AUTOROTATION TO AN OPEN FARMER'S FIELD. FLIGHT TERMINATED IN A "HARD LANDING" WITH "SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE" TO THE AIRFRAME. MAIN ROTOR STRUCK AND SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM, "FLINGING" THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT SOME 150 YARDS FROM THE WRECKAGE. AN UNKNOWN PERSON FOUND THE DRIVE SHAFT AND PLACED IT NEXT TO THE WRECKAGE SOME TIME AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THERE WAS NO POST LANDING FIRE AND NO INJURIES TO THE PIC. AIRCRAFT CONDITION INSPECTION DATE: 02/04/2005.

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 SEA05LA163Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLeavenworth, WAThe failure of the tail rotor drive shaft during cruise flight. Factors include soft, grassy terrain at the location where the pilot executed the autorotational landing.Aug 4, 2005 · Substantial damage