- Date
- April 20, 1990, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Moncks Corner, SC
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N67HJBell 205A-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900420010419A
- Case key
- 8124
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The in-flight separation of the main rotor because of the failure of a pillow block bolt, and the failure of the operator/repair station to follow the overhaul procedures.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The helicopter was being used for logging using an external lift long line. A load of logs was returned to the logging lane because they were too heavy. As the helicopter was brought to a hover, & the load pickled, the ground crew observed that the heliocpter became uncontrollable. The helicopter nose pitched up, it rolled left, & fell to the ground from about 200 feet. Exam of the wreckage revealed that none of the main rotor pillow block bolts were present. Damage to the main rotor was consistent with a failure of one of the bolts, in-flight, which resulted in separation of the main rotor from the mast. Laboratory exam of the main rotor revealed that mfgrs overhaul procedures were not followed which probably allowed corrosion of the bolts to occur. The procedures were changed to preclude re-use of pillow block bolts during overhaul.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N67HJ
- Reported as
- Bell 205A-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 30193
- Airframe hours
- 10,639
- Engine
- Lycoming T53-13B, 1,400 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 133
- Operator
- Heli Jet Corporation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · April 15, 1990 · 16 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 7,200 total · 2,800 in this make and model · 6,500 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 51 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 8 knots, gusting 15
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N67HJ · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.