# NTSB ANC15LA070: Helio H 295, N6464V, Delta Junction, AK, September 13, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 13, 2015, 08:40 local (16:40 UTC) - Place: Delta Junction, AK - Coordinates: 63.783332, -146.066665 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=63.7833&lon=-146.0667&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 23, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Wright Air Service - NTSB case key (mKey): 91975 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC15LA070 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91975/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91975 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC15LA070 ## Probable cause A partial loss of engine power during takeoff for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Helio H-295, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=4300802), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Helio H-295, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=4300802), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Helio H-295, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=4300802), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Helio H-295, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=4300802), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The airline transport pilot was departing on the air taxi flight from a remote, unimproved airstrip estimated to be about 850 ft long with 800 ft usable. He stated that the airplane seemed to accelerate normally but failed to become airborne at the departure end of the runway. The airplane impacted brush and trees, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot suggested that the engine may not have been producing full power because, during a previous flight from the airstrip with a similar load, the airplane became airborne in about 600 ft. A review of the airplane's takeoff performance data revealed a takeoff ground run of about 480 ft for the conditions at the time of the accident. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed a missing hose clamp on the scat tube that joins the air filter assembly to the air box; however, a postaccident engine run revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane's engine or systems. ## Factual narrative On September 13, 2015, about 0840 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Helio Courier H-295 airplane, N6464V, sustained substantial damage during takeoff following a runway excursion from a remote unimproved airstrip near Delta Junction, AK. The airplane was being operated by Wright Air Service Fairbanks, Alaska, as a visual flight rules (VFR) on-demand charter flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135.The certificated airline transport pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan had been filed. The flight departed a remote unimproved airstrip near Delta Junction, Alaska, at about 0840 destined for Fairbanks, AK. During an interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on September 14, the pilot stated that he was departing from a remote unimproved airstrip estimated to be about 850 feet long, with 800 feet usable. He stated that the airplane seemed to accelerate normally, but failed to become airborne at the departure end of the runway, and impacted brush and trees, sustaining substantial damage to the right wing. In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot went on to state that following the accident he departed the airstrip in the same make and model airplane with a similar load and the airplane lifted off in about 600 feet. In addition, he stated that it was possible that the engine was not producing full power even though the RPM was at redline, and there were no sounds associated with missing or a power reduction. A Helio Courier training manual dated October 1968 provided a Takeoff Distance vs Density Altitude chart for hard surfaced runways, which included a ground run correction factor for wet grass and soft turf. At a density altitude of about 928 feet and a gross weight of about 3,340 pounds, the takeoff ground run with the wet grass correction factor was about 480 feet. The airplane was equipped with a Lycoming GO-480-G1D6 engine, the pressure carburetor was replaced with a Bendix fuel injection system, under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) field approval process. On October 2, the engine, while still mounted on the accident airplane's airframe, was operated under the direction of the IIC, along with the rest of the investigative team. The engine ran without any observed anomalies, and produced full factory specified rpm. A drop of about 25 RPM was noted for the left and right magnetos. A series of power adjustments from idle to full power were conducted with no hesitation in engine operation noted. An aviation safety inspector from the Flight Standards Division, System Safety and Analysis Branch inspected the accident airplane following the engine run, and noted that the scat tube that joins the air box assembly to the air filter assembly was not secured to the filter assembly with the hose clamp as depicted in the HelioCourier parts manual. The closest weather reporting facility was Allen Army Airfield, about 35 miles northeast of the accident site. At 0853, a weather observation from Allen Army Airfield was reporting, in part: wind calm; visibility, 10 statute miles; few clouds 1,000 feet, few clouds 13,000 feet, scattered clouds 17,000 feet, scattered clouds 20,000 feet; temperature, 28 degrees F; dew point 27 degrees F; altimeter, 30.14 inHG. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6464V](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6464V), registered now, S/N 1414, built 1969 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: HELIO H 295 - Registry model: [Helio H-295](https://openairdocs.org/model/helio-h-295) (registry code 4300802) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming GO-480 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-go-480-series) (registry code 41527, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1414 - Year built: 1969 - Airframe hours: 5888 - Engines: LYCOMING GO-480 SERIES 295 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Wright Air Service - Registered owner: Bursiel Equipment Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 26, 2015 - Departed: Delta Junction, AK - Destination: PAFA, Fairbanks, AK - Flight plan: VFR - Equipment: Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 24, 2015; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 20,000 total, 2,500 in this make and model, 19,950 as pilot in command, 450 in the last 90 days, 170 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 28 °F, dew point 27 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: PABI, 35 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20150913018899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150913018899A), Sep 13, 2015: Helio H-295, Delta Junction, AK, Substantial damage. Aircraft accelerated down a narrow, 800 foot gravel strip becoming airborne near the end only momentarily at about one foot above ground level before settling… ## Other investigations on N6464V (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC16LA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC16LA067), Sep 16, 2016: Helio H 295 (N6464V), Fairbanks, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: Excessive side loads imposed on the tailwheel A-frame during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a separation of the tailwheel and the subsequent loss of directional control. ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 24, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91975. 1.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 692 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40448639&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Helio Parts Manual Excerpt (item 2, .PDF, 478 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40448640&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Helio%20Parts%20Manual%20Excerpt-Master.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 3, .PDF, 331 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40448641&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.