- Date
- September 18, 1991, 11:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place
- Bay Springs, MS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9010TContinental Copters Tomcat MK5A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 8, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910918041749A
- Case key
- 32927
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
Total loss of engine power due to undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing.
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 plt stated that during a steep turn about 60 ft AGL, the eng sputtered. He reduced power and attempted to land in a clearing but the eng quit shortly thereafter. During the autorotative descent, the main rotor (m r) blades contacted trees. After touchdown on the ground, the m r blades contacted the tail boom. The plt was observed after the accident to look in the fuel tank. The helicopter was moved after the accident without NTSB or FAA permission; therefore, fuel quantity could not be determined. The helicopter was located and exam of the eng and its components revealed contaminants in the carburetor bowl. The eng was started and found to operate normally. No determination could be made as to the reason for the loss of eng power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9010T
- Reported as
- Continental Copters Tomcat MK5A (TOMCAT MK5)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- CCI-74-3
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-A1F, 265 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Gulf Helicopter, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Gulf Helicopter, Inc.
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
- 27
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 1,658 total · 600 in this make and model · 1,658 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 24 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 2 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F
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 N9010T · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.