# NTSB FTW04TA012: Hughes OH-6A, N8524Z, Eagle Pass, TX, October 7, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Final report - Date: October 7, 2003, 11:58 local (16:58 UTC) - Place: Eagle Pass, TX - Coordinates: 28.708889, -100.499168 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.7089&lon=-100.4992&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report March 30, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 58192 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW04TA012 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58192/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW04TA012 ## Probable cause The failure of the aft segment of the tail rotor drive shaft for undertermined reasons. A contibuting factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the foced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Rotor failure/malfunction, hover - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - rotor drive system,tail rotor drive shaft - failure (cause) - Loss of control - in flight, hover - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) ## Analysis The 2,363-hour pilot reported that he was maneuvering the helicopter at an altitude of 30 to 60 feet AGL, with 5 to 10 knots forward airspeed when the nose of the helicopter started to move to the right. The pilot corrected for this with the left pedal. The nose of the helicopter stopped momentarily then started moving back to the right and could not be stopped with full left pedal. The helicopter was spinning uncontrollably to the right and the engine and rotor RPM increased. The pilot tried to hold the helicopter level with the cyclic, lowered the collective, held full left pedal and started to retard the throttle when contact with the ground occurred. The helicopter came to rest on its left side. The pilot reported that the tail rotor was not turning when the helicopter hit the ground. Examination of the helicopter by the operator revealed that the aft segment of the tail rotor drive shaft, approximately 24 inches forward of the tail rotor gear box attach point, was separated. The reason for the separation was not determined. ## Factual narrative On October 7, 2003, at approximately 1158 central daylight time, a Hughes OH-6A helicopter, N8524Z, registered to and operated by the U.S. Border Patrol, El Paso, Texas, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of tail rotor effect near Eagle Pass, Texas. The commercial helicopter pilot, sole occupant of the aircraft, sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the public use flight. The local flight originated at 1021 from the Del Rio International Airport, near Del Rio, Texas, and was destined for the Maverick County Memorial International Airport, near Eagle Pass, Texas. According to the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the 2,363-hour pilot reported that he was maneuvering at an altitude of 30 to 60 feet AGL, with 5 to 10 knots forward airspeed when the nose of the helicopter started to move to the right. The pilot corrected for this by applying left pedal. The nose of the helicopter stopped momentarily then started moving back to the right and could not be stopped with full left pedal. The helicopter was spinning uncontrollably to the right and the engine and rotor RPM increased. The pilot tried to hold the helicopter level with the cyclic, lowered the collective, held full left pedal and started to retard the throttle when contact with the ground occurred. The helicopter came to rest on its left side. The pilot reported that the tail rotor was not turning when the helicopter hit the ground. Examination of the helicopter by the operator revealed that the aft segment of the tail rotor drive shaft, approximately 24 inches forward of the tail rotor gear box attach point, was separated. The reason for the separation was not determined. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8524Z](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8524Z-2005-02-16), registration cancelled 2005-02-16, S/N 65-12933 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Hughes OH-6A - Registry model: [Hughes OH-6A](https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-oh-6a) (registry code 4470905) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 65-12933 - Airframe hours: 14156.8 - Engines: Allison C-20 B 420 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Public aircraft, Public use - Registered owner: U.S. Border Patrol Air Operations - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 30, 2003, 35 hours before - Departed: DRT, Del Rio, TX - Destination: 5T9, Eagle Pass, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review August 14, 2002; seat: right; flight hours: 2,363 total, 605 in this make and model, 2,165 as pilot in command, 182 in the last 90 days, 38 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 7 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 30,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.94 inHg 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.