Thursday, March 26, 2015

Bell 206B, N43CM: Accident occurred March 24, 2015 in Taylors Island, Maryland

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

Investigation Docket  - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

Aviation Accident Data Summary - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

DC Helicopters Incorporated: http://registry.faa.gov/N43CM 

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident. 

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Baltimore, Maryland
Rolls Royce; Indianapolis, Indiana

Bell Helicopter; Lexington Park, Maryland

NTSB Identification: ERA15LA179
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, March 24, 2015 in Taylors Island, MD
Probable Cause Approval Date: 03/06/2017
Aircraft: BELL 206B, registration: N43CM
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The commercial pilot reported that the helicopter was in cruise flight when he heard a "loud bang," which was followed by a partial loss of engine power. He performed an autorotation to shallow water near a shore, where the tailboom sustained substantial damage. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine, which included an engine operational check, revealed no evidence of any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The loss of engine power that occurred during the accident flight could not be duplicated during a test run. Following the engine test run, the fuel control unit (FCU) was removed and tested separately. Tests revealed that the FCU operated erratically due to a bellow anomaly. However, because this condition was discovered only after the engine had successfully completed its test cell runs, a direct correlation could not be drawn between the condition of the FCU and the reported loss of engine power.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
A partial loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

On March 24, 2015, about 1730 eastern daylight time, a Bell 206B, N43CM, was substantially damaged during an autorotation near Taylors Island, Maryland. The commercial pilot and one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter was registered to and operated by DC Helicopters Incorporated as a personal flight, which was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated from Monmouth Executive Airport (BLM), Farmingdale, New Jersey, about 1530.

The pilot reported that the helicopter was in cruise flight at 3,000 feet above ground level, when there was a sudden drop in altitude followed by a 90 degree rotation to the left and a loud "bang." The pilot lowered the collective and noted that the torque gauge went below 10 percent. He then rolled the throttle to idle, entered an autorotation and landed on a shore.

Postaccident examination of the helicopter by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the helicopter's tailboom was buckled near the tail rotor gear box. Further examination revealed that the tail rotor drive shaft was broken.

Flight control continuity was confirmed by hand movement of the controls. The cyclic exhibited free movement in all quadrants and the collective exhibited free up and down movement. Corresponding control movement was observed up to the main rotor hub assembly. The tail rotor pedals were moved and control movement was seen at the tail rotor. Drive continuity was established through the drive system with movement observed to the main mast and to the tail rotor drive system. The tail rotor driveshaft on the tailboom exhibited a torsional crack. The tailboom exhibited evidence of tail rotor blade strikes. Both fuel boost pumps were shown to operate when the battery was turned on. The airframe fuel filter was removed and found to be filled with clear and clean fuel and the filter was also clean. The fuel valve was in the off position and motored on when the battery and fuel valve were switched on. The boost pumps were then energized and a steady flow of fuel was present out the "IN" line to the airframe fuel filter.

During a postaccident examination of the engine all B-nuts and fittings were checked by hand for torque, and none were loose. The bleed valve was checked by hand for proper operation. The valve operated smoothly with no lateral play of the poppet valve. The engine mounts were intact with no apparent deformities. The engine exhibited no evidence of having been damaged during the accident sequence. The engine cowlings were removed to facilitate examination of the compressor inlet. Examination of the compressor revealed no evidence of compressor damage or failure. Both the N1 (compressor) and N2 (power turbine) rotor systems were rotated by hand. The N1 rotated smoothly with no unusual noise or resistance. Continuity from the compressor through the auxiliary gearbox to the starter/generator was confirmed. Rotation of the N2 confirmed continuity to both the main rotor and tail rotor drives.

The engine was removed to be run in a test cell in an attempt to replicate the reported loss of power. A pre-run examination of the engine found no anomalies with the engine, or any damage which might preclude running the engine on a test cell. The engine was installed on a test cell, started, ran normally and met all serviceable engine standards. The engine produced normal power and responded properly to all power demands, including wave-off and sudden throttle and load changes.

After the engine test run, the owner of the helicopter sent the engine's fuel control unit (FCU) out for testing. During testing it was noted that one of the technicians found a "slight bend" in the FCU bellow's assembly. The condition of the bellows did not warrant rejection, and the FCU was reassembled and tested in accordance with manufacturer's specifications. During the test it was noted that the FCU performed erratically on the test stand, and failed to meet serviceable standards. The bellows assembly was replaced with an overhauled bellows assembly, and the FCU performed satisfactorily. The subject bellows assembly was then installed on a serviceable FCU, tested, and failed to pass serviceable standards.

NTSB Identification: ERA15LA179
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, March 24, 2015 in Taylors Island, MD
Aircraft: BELL 206B, registration: N43CM
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On March 24, 2015, about 1730 eastern daylight time, a Bell 206B, N43CM, was substantially damaged during an autorotation near Taylor Island, Maryland. The commercial pilot and one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter was registered to and operated by DC Helicopters Incorporated as a personal flight, which was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to the pilot, he was in cruise flight at 3,000 feet above ground level, when there was a sudden drop in altitude followed by a 90 degree rotation to the left and a loud "bang." The pilot lowered the collective and noted that the torque gauge went below 10 percent. He then rolled the throttle to idle, entered an autorotation and landed on a shore. 

According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector that examined the helicopter, the tail boom was buckled near the tail rotor gear box. Further examination revealed that the tail rotor drive shaft was broken. The helicopter was recovered and is awaiting further examination.






Ronald Lopes of Staten Island, N.Y. gives a thumbs up at Denny's in Cambridge with Vincent Giglio of Howell, New Jersey, who safely landed the helicopter they were flying in Tuesday, March 24, 2015 after it lost power near the mouth of the Little Choptank River.
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CAMBRIDGE — Among the diners here at Denny’s Tuesday evening were two gentlemen who may have had the most interesting day of anyone in the restaurant, the city of Cambridge or even the entire Delmarva Peninsula. 

Vincent T. Giglio, 45, of Howell, N.J. and Ronald F. Lopes, 61, of Staten Island, N.Y. seemed like the rest of Denny’s patrons, chowing down on big plates of diner food. The only difference between them and everyone else appeared to be the light luggage stashed in their booth.

Lopes and Giglio had to carry their luggage with them into Denny’s because the Bell Jet Ranger helicopter they had been traveling in Tuesday was stuck in the muddy bottom of the Little Choptank River, in about 3 feet of water just offshore of Taylors Island.

Giglio is the owner of Ocean Helicopters of Wall Township, N.J., providing charter helicopter flights for business or sightseeing. Lopes is also a commercial helicopter pilot, who said it was a spur of the moment decision to join his friend Tuesday on what was supposed to be a routine flight to Richmond, Va.

“We train for these things all the time,” Lopes said, including training in a swimming pool to escape from a cage designed to replicate the experience of being in an upside down helicopter in the water.

The basic skill for which they train for emergencies is auto rotation, Lopes said. When a helicopter loses power high in the air, it drops like a rock, Lopes explained.

Auto rotation is meant to slow down the drop and give the powerless blades of the helicopter enough lift to keep the aircraft from crashing. It involves setting the helicopter’s instruments for a specific speed and pulling up on the helicopter’s collective steering device at the last moments before it hits ground.

Tuesday Lopes and Giglio had been taking turns piloting the helicopter on the way to Richmond. Fate fell to Giglio to be piloting when the chopper lost power over Chesapeake Bay.

“Vinny did a great job,” Lopes said, keeping the helicopter stable and upright as it descended, steering towards the shallow waters along the shoreline of the Little Choptank River. Most important, the helicopter landed right side-up, on an even plane, making it easy to exit the stranded aircraft.

The helicopter went down about 25 feet offshore, Lopes estimated. He and Giglio were able to walk to shore and found help from Keith Graffius, whose home is closest to the spot where the helicopter went down.

After talking to local public safety officials, Lopes and Giglio were given a ride by emergency responders to Denny’s, where they were waiting Tuesday evening for a friend in Richmond to drive to Cambridge and then take them to their original destination.

Lopes said he already had a ticket for Amtrak to carry him back to New York Wednesday.

Although he has trained often for an emergency landing in the water, Lopes said it was still very surprising to have to actually put that training to use.

He and Giglio both still had positive attitudes about helicopter flight, extolling the virtues of travel by helicopter and appearing nonplussed by Tuesday’s ordeal.

Still, Lopes seemed to understand what happened in the helicopter Tuesday at the mouth of the Little Choptank had a happy ending because of more than training and skill.

“We were lucky,” he said.

Story and photo gallery:   http://www.myeasternshoremd.com








Taylor's Island, MD. -     Coast Guard officials have confirmed a reported helicopter crash into the water off of Taylor's Island, Md. 47 ABC spoke with an individual from the Baltimore office of the Coast Guard, who said they received notification around 5:37 PM Tuesday from Patuxent River Naval Station that a civilian helicopter reportedly crash landed in the water.

Maryland State Police say Vincent T. Giglio, 45, of New Jersey, and his passenger, Ronald F. Lopes, 61, of New York. Neither reported any injuries. State police say both the pilot and passenger had exited the aircraft without assistance and walked to shore before troopers responded. Emergency responders say the helicopter was "intact." They are now reportedly attempting to recover the rotorcraft.

The Coast Guard official told 47 ABC that the Coast Guard was going to send help out, but the aircraft had already landed in the water about 20 feet off the shoreline, in about two feet of water.

Information released from the Maryland State Police indicates the pilot may have experienced some type of mechanical problem with the helicopter. He reportedly radioed a distress call, then made a hard landing as close to shore as possible.

Story and photo:  http://www.wmdt.com




TAYLORS ISLAND, Md. (AP/WBOC) - Maryland State Police say a private helicopter landed in shallow water just off the Dorchester County shore Tuesday evening. The two men aboard were not hurt, according to fire officials.

It happened about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in Taylors Island in Dorchester County. 

Maryland State Police Troopers identified the pilot Tuesday night as 45-year-old Vincent Giglio, of New Jersey. 

The assistant fire chief on Taylors Island, Josh Tieder, tells WBOC the helicopter was en route from Patuxent River Naval Air Station to New Jersey when it lost power at about 3000 feet. 

Tieder says the Patuxent River Naval Air Station lost contact with the helicopter about ten miles west of Cambridge just and sent a distress call  to Dorchester 911 at 5:23 p.m.

Officers say Giglio made a hard landing in about 4 feet of water. Giglio and his passenger, 61-year-old Ronald Lopes of New York, got out of the helicopter and walked to shore, according to police. Tieder says Giglio had to have been a very experienced pilot to land the way he did. He says Giglio was able to auto rotate the chopper down, but couldn't quite make it back to the shore and put it down in the water.

Tieder says the investigation was turned over to the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board. As of 8:45 p.m., the helicopter was still in the water, but a private salvage company was going to be called to move it to land. Tieder tells WBOC he expects the rotorcraft to still be on the shore Wednesday morning.

At this time, troopers are calling the cause of the emergency landing a mechanical engine failure.

Story and photo:  http://www.wboc.com

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