# NTSB ERA13TA021: Bell OH-58A, N40TN, Jackson, TN, October 13, 2012

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Final report
- Date: October 13, 2012, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place: Jackson, TN
- Coordinates: 35.62611, -88.803054 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6261&lon=-88.8031&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 2 minor
- Status: Completed, report April 10, 2013
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: Memphis FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 85323
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA13TA021
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/85323/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85323
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13TA021

## Probable cause

A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons because postaccident examination of the 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: [Bell OH-58A, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=1181579), [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.

- [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell OH-58A, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=1181579), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Autorotation: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Bell OH-58A, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=1181579), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot was providing aerial observation for law enforcement activity on the ground when he observed the rotor rpm decaying. He initiated a descending left 180-degree autorotation to a flat, grassy area. As he was lining up for the intended landing area, he noticed that a man on a riding lawnmower was moving toward his intended touchdown point. To avoid a collision, he maneuvered the helicopter to the right to get ahead of the lawnmower. The pilot determined that he could not make his intended touchdown point and landed on uneven terrain. The helicopter impacted the ground, which resulted in damage to the fuselage, main rotor system and separation of the tail boom. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined despite a thorough engine examination and test run.

## Factual narrative

On October 13, 2012, about 1600 central daylight time, a Bell OH-58A helicopter, N40TN, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground following a loss of engine power near Jackson, Tennessee. The commercial pilot and passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight. According to the pilot, he was providing aerial observation for law enforcement activity on the ground when he observed the rotor rpm decaying. He stated he was heading 170 degrees, flying at 80 knots (kts), and at 800 feet agl, when the low rotor rpm horn sounded. He initiated a descending left 180-degree autorotation to land in a flat, grassy area. As he was lining up for his intended landing area he noticed that a man on a riding lawnmower was moving toward his intended touchdown point. To avoid a collision, he maneuvered the helicopter to the right to get ahead of the lawnmower. The pilot determined that he could not make his intended touchdown point and landed on uneven terrain. The helicopter impacted the ground, which resulted in damage to the fuselage, main rotor system and separation of the tail boom. The Director of Maintenance for the Jackson Police Department reported that they recovered about 55 gallons of fuel from the helicopter at the accident site. According to FAA records, the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate, with a rating for a rotorcraft-helicopter. The pilot’s most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on October 12, 2011. On that date, he reported 2,290 total hours of flight experience. The single-engine, single-rotor, helicopter, was a surplus Army helicopter based on Bell’s Model 206A JetRanger. It was powered by a Rolls-Royce AE-406166, 420-horsepower engine. The helicopter was registered to the Jackson Police Department and operated under public use operations. The helicopter’s airframe and engine accrued 8,194 and 2,520 hours total time, respectively. A 100 hour inspection was completed on July 28, 2012 and the engine accrued 89.2 hours since that inspection. On November 7, 2012, under the supervision of the Indianapolis Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), Rolls-Royce conducted an engine functionality test of M250 engine AE-406166 at the Rolls-Royce Indianapolis Plant 5 production test stand. The engine started and functioned per specification during the test run with the following exceptions: the predicted power at the Normal Cruise (370 horsepower (hp), 1360 degrees Fahrenheit Measured Gas Temperature (MGT)) setting was 364 hp, which was 1.6% below specified power. No flame outs were noted during the engine acceleration and deceleration test points and the power turbine governor functioned per specification. The predicted power at the Maximum-Take Off (420 hp, 1490°F MGT) setting was 443hp, which was 5.5% above specification. The 1553 weather observation at McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport (MKL), Jackson,Tennessee, reported winds 190 degrees, 9 knots, 10 miles visibility, broken clouds at 5,500 feet, temperature 27 degrees Celsius, dew point 16 °C, and an altimeter setting of 30.08 inches of mercury. A Garmin GPSMAP 496 and GNC-300XL were recovered from the wreckage and examined at the Safety Board’s recorders laboratory. No accident flight information was captured on either device. The GNC-300XL does not record history and the GPSMAP 496 recorded about a dozen points after October 12, 2012, but they were not indicated in Garmin’s flight logbook function.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N40TN](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N40TN-2018-02-14), registration cancelled 2018-02-14, S/N 70-15584 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL OH-58A
- Registry model: [Bell OH-58A](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-oh-58a) (registry code 1181579) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 70-15584
- Airframe hours: 8194
- Engines: Rolls-Royce AE-406166 420 horsepower turbo shaft
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Public aircraft - local, Public use
- Operator: Jackson Police Department
- Registered owner: Jackson Police Department
- Last inspection: 100 hour, July 28, 2012, 89 hours before
- Departed: Jackson, TN
- Destination: Jackson, TN
- Airport: KMKL, McKellar-Sipes Regional

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 53; injuries: minor; commercial; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 31, 2011; seat: right; flight hours: 2,667 total, 2,506 in this make and model, 2,553 as pilot in command, 63 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 190° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 5,500 ft broken
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observed at: KMKL, 5 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 20121013024819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121013024819A), Oct 13, 2012: Bell OH-58A, Jackson, TN, Substantial damage. While maneuvering in support of local law enforcement the pilot reported that low rotor RPM warning sounded. Pilot reported lowering collective and maneuvering…

## Docket (12 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 12, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85323. 5.6 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 686 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384064&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Memorandum of Record (Pilot) (item 2, .PDF, 71 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384180&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%20(Pilot)-Master.PDF
- Memorandum of Record (FAA Engine Inspection) (item 3, .PDF, 59 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40379921&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%20(FAA%20Engine%20Inspection)-Master.PDF
- Weather Reports and Records (item 4, .PDF, 82 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384062&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF
- Rolls Royce Engine Run (item 5, .PDF, 28 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384066&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Rolls%20Royce%20Engine%20Run-Redacted.PDF
- Tactical Flight Officer Statement (item 6, .PDF, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384176&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Tactical%20Flight%20Officer%20Statement-Redacted.PDF
- Vehicle Recorder Division (RE-40) Examination (item 7, .PDF, 71 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384177&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Vehicle%20Recorder%20Division%20(RE-40)%20Examination-Master.PDF
- Memorandum of Record (FAA Examination) (item 8, .PDF, 25 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384219&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%20(FAA%20Examination)-Master.PDF
- Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 9, .PDF, 632 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384966&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Redacted.PDF
- Pilot's logbook (item 10, .PDF, 932 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40385948&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20logbook-Redacted.PDF
- 100 Hour Inspection (item 11, .PDF, 2.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40386206&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=100%20Hour%20Inspection-Master.PDF
- Photo 1: Helicopter After Landing (Photo Courtesy of the FAA) (item 12, .PDF, 30 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40387084&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%3A%20Helicopter%20After%20Landing%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20the%20FAA)-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.

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