- Date
- June 19, 2013, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Danbury, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N485PMEnstrom F-28A
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20130619013199A
- Case key
- 87234
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 total loss of engine power due to the failure of a connecting rod for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examination.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot had just taken off in the helicopter when the pilot and the flight instructor heard a loud “bang,” and the engine lost total power. The flight instructor took control of the helicopter and initiated an autorotation to available terrain from a low altitude; however, when the helicopter touched down, it encountered a rut and rolled over on its right side. The main rotor blades were destroyed, and the tail boom was severed. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that a connecting rod had failed. The reason the connecting rod failed could not be determined during postaccident examination.
Factual narrative
On June 19, 2013, at 1013 central daylight time, an Enstrom F-28A, N485PM, landed hard after the engine lost power at Salaika Aviation Airport (07TA), Danbury, Texas. The instructor and student pilot were not injured. The helicopter was destroyed. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Salaika Air Services, Danbury, Texas, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight originated from 07TA approximately 1000. The helicopter had just taken off and was turning downwind in the airport’s traffic pattern when the pilots heard a loud “bang” and the engine lost power. The instructor initiated an auto rotation. The helicopter touched down and slid, striking a ground rut that broke the right skid. The helicopter rolled over on its right side. The main rotor blades were destroyed and the tail boom was severed. Post-accident examination revealed a connecting rod had ventilated the engine crankcase. The reason the connecting rod failed was not determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N485PM
- Reported as
- Enstrom F-28A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 259
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-C1B, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Salaika Timothy A, doing business as Salaika Air Services
- Registered owner
- Salaika Timothy A
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 07TA · Danbury, TX
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Unknown
- Last flight review
- December 1, 2011
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 5,000 total · 5,000 in this make and model
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 29, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 372 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.