- Date
- February 8, 1989, 11:25 local (16:25 UTC)
- Place
- Greenville, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N204APBell TH-1L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890208031229A
- Case key
- 32395
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
Installation of the improper sprag clutch assembly by the owners maintenance personnel resulting in failure of the sprag clutch and the loss of transmission drive.
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
Flt experienced loss of transmission drive and performed an autorotation into trees. Examination of the transmission indicated the sprag clutch had failed and that the failed sprag clutch was the improper clutch for that engine and transmission. The clutch had been installed at transmission overhaul 140 hours before the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N204AP
- Reported as
- Bell TH-1L
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 157840
- Airframe hours
- 8,092
- Engine
- Lycoming T53-L-13B, 1,400 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 133
- Operator
- Green Mountain Helicopter, Inc
- Registered owner
- Southern Aero Corporation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 26, 1989 · 31 hours before
- Departed
- Greenville, FL
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 7,853 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 7,644 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 31 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 41 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TLH, 36 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.
Other investigations on N204AP · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.