- Date
- May 27, 2007, 20:46 local (May 28, 2007, 00:46 UTC)
- Place
- Isla de Vieques, PR
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N911GBMesserschmitt BO-105
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20070527012199A
- Case key
- 66338
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 mechanic's failure to secure the engine governor locking hardware, which resulted in the right engine losing power.
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
Shortly after takeoff, the helicopter's right engine lost power, so the pilot performed an autorotation to the ground. During the autorotation, the helicopter "landed hard," and the fuselage was substantially damaged. Examination of the helicopter's right engine revealed the trim actuator control rod was disconnected, and the locking nut and washer, which secured the governor, were loose. According to maintenance records provided by the operator, the right engine was installed on the helicopter two days prior to the accident, and the engine governors were rigged at the same time. The helicopter flew approximately 3 hours since the maintenance was performed.
Factual narrative
On May 27, 2007, at 2046 eastern daylight time, N911GB, a Messerschmitt BO-105 helicopter, operated by Aviane Air Ambulance, was substantially damaged during a forced landing after takeoff from Vieques Hospital Heliport, Isla de Vieques, Puerto Rico. The certificated commercial pilot, two paramedics, a passenger, and the patient were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the air ambulance flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, shortly after takeoff the helicopter's right engine lost power, so the pilot performed an autorotation to the ground. During the autorotation, the helicopter "landed hard," and was substantially damaged.
Examination of the helicopter's right engine revealed the trim actuator control rod was disconnected, and the locking nut and washer, which secured the governor, were loose.
According to maintenance records provided by the operator, the right engine was installed on the helicopter on May 25, 2007. The governors were also rigged during the installation. The helicopter flew approximately 3 hours since the maintenance was performed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N911GB
- Reported as
- Messerschmitt BO-105
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 694
- Airframe hours
- 7,830
- Engines
- Allison 250 C20B, 410 horsepower, turbo shaftAllison 250 C20B, 410 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Aviane Air Ambulance
- Registered owner
- MSE Air Group Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2007
- Departed
- Vieques, PR
- Destination
- San Juan, PR
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- NONE · Vieques Hospital Heliport
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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 1, 2006
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,677 total · 340 in this make and model · 3,602 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- TJVQ
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.