20130906017709A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Continental Copters TOMCAT MK5A · Arlington, MN · September 6, 2013

Date: September 6, 2013 · 09:30 local
Place: Arlington, MN
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: CUHG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N9005T
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN13LA537
Reported as: Continental Copters Tomcat MK5A
Reported engine: Lycoming VO-435 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 901 total359 in this make and model307 in the last 90 days

N9005TRegistered now · Continental Copters TOMCAT MK5AS/N CCI-74-1 · Built 1974 Airframe modelContinental Copters TOMCAT MK5A Engine modelLycoming VO-435 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.

According to the pilot's statement, while transitioning between fields in level cruise at between 300' and 400' AGL, the pilot transferred his left hand to the collective control so that he could plug his helmet in with his right hand. Right after he plugged in the helmet, the collective slammed into the down position. The pilot stated that he then quickly grabbed the collective and raised it back to the previous position. He stated that he immediately noticed the aircraft losing altitude and the rotor and engine RPM needles became split about 180 degrees. In a conversation later with the pilot, he stated the engine RPM needle had gone to "0" and the rotor RPM was 280 to 300 RPM. He stated that he twisted the throttle back and forth and appeared to have no response from the engine. The pilot stated that he then entered into autorotation and landed in a field.

As the FAA filed it

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S STATEMENT, WHILE TRANSITIONING BETWEEN FIELDS IN LEVEL CRUISE AT BETWEEN 300' AND 400' AGL, THE PILOT TRANSFERRED HIS LEFT HAND TO THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL SO THAT HE COULD PLUG HIS HELMET IN WITH HIS RIGHT HAND. RIGHT AFTER HE PLUGGED IN THE HELMET, THE COLLECTIVE SLAMMED INTO THE DOWN POSITION. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE THEN QUICKLY GRABBED THE COLLECTIVE AND RAISED IT BACK TO THE PREVIOUS POSITION. HE STATED THAT HE IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THE AIRCRAFT LOSING ALTITUDE AND THE ROTOR AND ENGINE RPM NEEDLES BECAME SPLIT ABOUT 180 DEGREES. IN A CONVERSATION LATER WITH THE PILOT, HE STATED THE ENGINE RPM NEEDLE HAD GONE TO "0" AND THE ROTOR RPM WAS 280 TO 300 RPM. HE STATED THAT HE TWISTED THE THROTTLE BACK AND FORTH AND APPEARED TO HAVE NO RESPONSE FROM THE ENGINE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE THEN ENTERED INTO AUTOROTATION AND LANDED IN A FIELD.

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 CEN13LA537Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportArlington, MNThe pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter while maneuvering when he removed his hand from the collective control while plugging in his radio connection to his helmet, which resulted in the collective moving to the full-down position.Sep 6, 2013 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N9005T · 2

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

Accident 20180726014749ACruise/Level Flight · Lesueur, MNPilot departed at dusk. Poor preflight planning. Ran out of fuel. Autorotation was not existent.Jul 26, 2018 · Substantial damage Accident 19970930029419ALow Level Operations · Pipestone Count, MNCollided with ground during ag operations. (.4) the pilot stated that while he was ferrying the helicopter to the next field he, `heard a loud bang from behind.' He said that the cyclic control, `jerked,' the helicopter began to vibrate, and the rotor RPM…Sep 30, 1997 · Substantial damage