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20090927019969A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Arrowf OH58A · Roseburg, OR · September 27, 2009

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 27, 2009 · 20:15 local
Place
Roseburg, OR
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator
GEYG
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N298CP
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR09LA471
Reported as
Arrowf OH58A
Reported engine
Allison 250C20
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
14,250 total1,500 in this make and model82 in the last 90 days
N298CPRegistration cancelled Feb 6, 2012 · Arrow Falcon Exporters OH-58A+S/N 71-20532 · Built 2007Airframe modelArrow Falcon Exporters OH-58A+Engine modelAllison T63-A-720Turbo-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.

Pilot reports departing from hill top with empty spray tanks to survey area to be sprayed that night when shortly after takeoff he heard a "repetitive popping sound" and the helicopter failed to accelerate normally. He said 100 percent torque was required to clear the trees nearby which was more then the projected 80-88 percent power predicted by the conditions. Immediately after he heard the popping sound he was forced to turn down a slope to stay airborne, but the helicopter would not maintain altitude or airspeed. The pilot reported that after 30 or 40 seconds he crashed into a heavily wooded area, causing substantial damage to the aircraft. The helicopter impacted the surface at a level attitude and then rolled to the left where it came to a stop. A witness also reports hearing the "popping sound" and submitted a statement to that effect. Investigation of fuel system showed no contamination and engine performance test run by manfacturer showed no performance defects. Driveshaft from engine to transmission was found completely severed and in a condition indicating rotation in a damaged condition.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT REPORTS DEPARTING FROM HILL TOP WITH EMPTY SPRAY TANKS TO SURVEY AREA TO BE SPRAYED THAT NIGHT WHEN SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF HE HEARD A "REPETITIVE POPPING SOUND" AND THE HELICOPTER FAILED TO ACCELERATE NORMALLY. HE SAID 100 PERCENT TORQUE WAS REQUIRED TO CLEAR THE TREES NEARBY WHICH WAS MORE THEN THE PROJECTED 80-88 PERCENT POWER PREDICTED BY THE CONDITIONS. IMMEDIATELY AFTER HE HEARD THE POPPING SOUND HE WAS FORCED TO TURN DOWN A SLOPE TO STAY AIRBORNE, BUT THE HELICOPTER WOULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE OR AIRSPEED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER 30 OR 40 SECONDS HE CRASHED INTO A HEAVILY WOODED AREA, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE SURFACE AT A LEVEL ATTITUDE AND THEN ROLLED TO THE LEFT WHERE IT CAME TO A STOP. A WITNESS ALSO REPORTS HEARING THE "POPPING SOUND" AND SUBMITTED A STATEMENT TO THAT EFFECT. INVESTIGATION OF FUEL SYSTEM SHOWED NO CONTAMINATION AND ENGINE PERFORMANCE TEST RUN BY MANFACTURER SHOWED NO PERFORMANCE DEFECTS. DRIVESHAFT FROM ENGINE TO TRANSMISSION WAS FOUND COMPLETELY SEVERED AND IN A CONDITION INDICATING ROTATION IN A DAMAGED CONDITION.

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 WPR09LA471Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMyrtle Creek, ORA partial loss of engine power during takeoff for undetermined reasons.Sep 28, 2009 · Substantial damage