- Date
- June 26, 1985, 11:40 local (16:40 UTC)
- Place
- Dallas, TX
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N148BHAerospatiale AS35OD
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850626027969A
- Case key
- 21560
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 eng to transmission short shaft became disconnected in flt. This resulted in complete loss of pwr to the main rotor assembly. However, the tail rotor assembly was still being powered by the eng. Upon collective pitch application to stop the descent the acft yawed about 90 degs to the right and also rolled about 70 degs to the right and impacted the trunk of a large tree. This impact resulted in disintegration of the helicopter. Investigation revealed that cotter pins had not been installed in the bolts which connect the forward end of the short shaft to the flexible coupling at the transmission. It also revealed that a required 30 hr recurring inspection had not been completed and was 15.9 hrs overdue. The completion of this required inspection would have revealed that the cotter pins were missing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N148BH
- Reported as
- Aerospatiale AS35OD
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1274
- Airframe hours
- 1,256
- Engine
- Lycoming LTS-101-600A2, 531 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Cia Machinery, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 25, 1985 · 55 hours before
- Departed
- DAL · Dallas, TX
- Destination
- Lancaster, TX
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 7,044 total · 166 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DAL, 16 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.