- Date
- May 31, 1996, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- West Palm Beach, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3880ABell UH1B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 22, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960531020249A
- Case key
- 38022
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
the failure of the tail rotor drive shaft which resulted in a loss of tail rotor control.
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
While refueling the helicopter the pilot and his crew saw smoke coming from the 'hell hole' on the bottom of the helicopter. They could not determine where the smoke was coming from, so the pilot elected to reposition the helicopter away from the fuel pad. After lift-off, there was a 'loud pop' and the helicopter immediately started rotating to the right. In an effort to avoid striking the fuel tank the pilot added power, and the wind carried the helicopter across the top of the tank. The spinning rotation increased, and after crossing the fuel tank the pilot reduced power. As the helicopter started to come around and get closer to the ground, it went backwards and struck a tree. After impact with the ground the helicopter rolled on its left side. Examination of the helicopter revealed that the tail rotor cable retaining pin came loose, and had rubbed against the tail rotor shaft, subsequently causing the drive shaft to fail.
Factual narrative
On May 31, 1996, about 1030 eastern daylight time, a Bell UH1B, helicopter, N3880A, registered to Colony Services Inc., operating as a 14 CFR Part 137, aerial application flight, crashed in the vicinity of West Palm Beach, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter was substantially damaged, and the commercial pilot was not injured.
The pilot stated, that while refueling the helicopter he and his crew saw smoke coming from the "hell hole" on the bottom of the helicopter. They could not determine where the smoke was coming from, so the pilot elected to reposition the helicopter away from the fuel pad.
After lift off, there was a "loud pop" and the helicopter immediately started rotating to the right. In an effort to avoid striking the fuel tank the pilot added power, and the wind carried the helicopter across the top of the tank. The spinning rotation increased, and after crossing the fuel tank the pilot reduced power. As the helicopter started to come around, and get closer to the ground, it went backwards and struck a tree. After impact with the ground the helicopter rolled on its left side.
Examination of the helicopter revealed that the tail rotor, cable retaining pin, came loose, and had rubbed against the tail rotor shaft, subsequently causing the drive shaft to fail.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3880A
- Reported as
- Bell UH1B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 64-14073
- Airframe hours
- 5,307
- Engine
- Lycoming T53L-11D, 1,100 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Colony Services Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 20, 1996
- Departed
- NONE
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 52
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 8,500 total · 4,800 in this make and model · 145 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 45° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.