DEN00LA073

NTSB accident investigation · Helio H-295 · Albuquerque, NM · April 12, 2000

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
April 12, 2000, 13:15 local (19:15 UTC)
Place
Albuquerque, NM
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N3MAHelio H-295
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 2, 2001
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
20000412028969A
Case key
48943

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The flight instructor's failure to maintain aircraft control during takeoff initial climb.

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.

Loss of control - in flightTakeoff - initial climb
Aircraft control - not maintainedPilot in command(cfi)Cause
In flight collision with terrain/waterTakeoff - initial climb
Terrain condition - ground

Analysis

The instructional flight was on takeoff roll when a witness observed the airplane's left main wheel and tail wheel exit the left side of the runway at approximately 50 to 70 yards from roll commencement. The airplane left the ground, and rocked from side to side. It then came back down to the runway, and was on the asphalt for 2 to 3 seconds. The witness said that the engine sound of 'full power' never changed. He said that the airplane then jumped back into the air again, and again rocked from side to side like it was going to stall at any moment. He said then the airplane nosed down and hit the runway.

Factual narrative

On April 12, 2000, approximately 1315 mountain daylight time, a Helio H-295, N3MA, was substantially damaged following impact with terrain during a takeoff at Coronado Airport, Albuquerque, New Mexico. The airline transport flight instructor and the private pilot receiving instruction were not injured. The airplane was being operated by the private pilot student under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country instructional flight that was originating at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed, but the instructor pilot said that their intended destination was Mesa, Arizona.

The flight instructor said that they had stopped at Coronado Airport for fuel and rest. He said that hot start procedures were required to start the engine, and that taxi operations to the end of runway 17 were normal. The flight instructor said that takeoff acceleration was "rapid," but that the student rotated the airplane late. The instructor said that he "heard and felt a power reduction, followed by a surge to increase to (full??) power, followed by a second decrease in power of greater magnitude than the first power loss." He then instructed the student to "put it back on the runway." During the ensuing "hard" landing, the right main landing gear collapsed. An FAA inspector examined the airplane and reported that the engine's firewall was wrinkled and the right wing spar was bent.

A witness in an airplane waiting to takeoff behind the accident airplane said the following: "when N3MA release[d] brakes for takeoff, that [the] airplane's left main and tail wheel left the left side of the runway within 50 to 70 yards." He said that the airplane then left the ground and rocked side to side. It then came back down to the runway and was on the asphalt for 2 to 3 seconds. He said the engine sound of "full power" never changed. Next, the airplane "jumped back into the air again, and again rocked from side to side like it was going to stall at any moment." He said the airplane nosed down and hit the runway.

Aircraft

Registration
N3MA
Reported as
Helio H-295
Category
Airplane
Serial number
1291
Engine
Lycoming GO-480-G1D6, 295 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
Gary H. Hopkins
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · April 6, 2000 · 8 hours before
Departed
4AC
Destination
FF2 · Mesa, AZ
Airport
4AC · Coronado Airport, runway 17, 4,010 × 60 ft, asphalt

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
68
Certificates
Airline transport, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Right
Flight hours
8,895 total · 25 in this make and model · 8,393 as pilot in command · 56 in the last 90 days · 27 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
0° at 3 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
59 °F, dew point 34 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
ABQ, 9 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.