Sunday, April 26, 2015

McDonnell Douglas Helicopters MD530FF (369FF), N530KK, registered to and operated by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department: Accident occurred December 31, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada

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

Analysis

The commercial pilot was conducting a local public flight. He reported that, about 7 minutes into the flight, while the helicopter was orbiting over a fixed area, he noticed the engine and rotor rpm decrease. The pilot rolled the helicopter out of the orbit, and the engine and rotor rpm stabilized momentarily at 97%. The pilot then attempted to increase the engine and rotor rpm while turning the helicopter toward a nearby airport. During the maneuver, the engine and rotor rpm decreased rapidly. The pilot entered an autorotation and executed an emergency landing. The helicopter then landed hard, and the tail impacted the ground and separated from the airframe.

A postaccident examination of the airframe and the engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. During an engine test run, the engine produced rated power. Examination of the fuel system revealed no anomalies, and a fuel sample taken from the helicopter tested positive as jet fuel (Jet A). The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

Probable Cause and Findings

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

Findings
Not determined
Not determined - Unknown/Not determined (Cause)
Factual Information 

On December 31, 2014, about 1330, Pacific standard time, an MD Helicopter Inc. 369FF, N530KK, was substantially damaged during an emergency autorotation landing following a sudden loss of engine power in Las Vegas, Nevada. The two commercial pilots on board sustained serious injuries. The helicopter was registered to, and operated by, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department as a public aircraft flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from North Las Vegas Airport (VGT), Las Vegas, at 1322.

The pilot reported that he had taken off with 64 gallons of fuel and was orbiting over a fixed location when he noticed a drop in engine and rotor revolutions per minute (rpm). The pilot then rolled the helicopter out of the orbit, and the engine and rotor rpm stabilized momentarily at 97%. The pilot attempted to increase the engine and rotor rpm while turning west towards the North Las Vegas Airport. During the maneuver, the engine and rotor rpm rapidly degraded. The pilot entered an autorotation, and executed an emergency landing. The helicopter touched down hard, the tail impacted the ground, and separated from the airframe.

The helicopter was examined on-scene by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector. The inspector stated that he was only able to look at one side of the engine because of how the helicopter was positioned on the ground, and that he did not identify anything unusual. He checked the flight controls and reported that everything was connected. The helicopter was recovered to the Las Vegas Metro Police Department's hangar at the North Las Vegas Airport. Two FAA inspectors examined the helicopter on January 7, 2015, and reported that the engine outer combustion chamber, external fuel line connected to the fuel nozzle, and the fuel nozzle connection had sustained impact damage. Additionally, the engine fuel nozzle b-nut was "finger tight."

On January 14, 2015, representatives from MD Helicopters and Rolls-Royce examined the helicopter with oversight provided by a FAA inspector. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage structure, aft fuselage section, tailboom and landing gear. There was no damage to the main structural members of the fuselage and the transmission/static mast support structure. The aft cabin was intact with no visible damage. The underside of the fuselage displayed damage to the belly skin and supporting interior structure with major damage to the aft landing gear fitting and center beam.

The top aft surface of the composite engine air fairing showed evidence of main rotor blade contact along with the tailboom. The tailboom was severed into two segments. The forward segment was still attached to the upper aft boom fairing. The vertical and horizontal stabilizer were both firmly attached to the aft segment. The vertical stabilizer's stinger was broken off and the vertical and horizontal stabilizers both displayed impact damage from ground contact. The aft portion of the left and right landing gear struts were broken and splayed outward resulting in the helicopter coming to rest on the lower fuselage structure.

Cyclic and collective control continuity was verified. Damage to the tail rotor controls corresponded with tailboom damage. The tail rotor blades exhibited impact damage with bent spars or tear to the blade skin. The main rotor blade damage varied in severity and included blades being bent, chordwise wrinkling, leading/trailing edge and tip cap damage. One blade was fractured at the inboard end just outboard of the root fitting. Drive system continuity was verified. The main rotor system hub assembly and components displayed typical damage from main rotor blades contacting the tailboom during the hard landing. There was visible damage to the hub upper and lower shoe, feather bearings, pitch change housings, and droop stops. Damage was consistent with the excessive blade flapping and lead-lag excursions of the main rotor from sudden stoppage at low rotor rpm without engine power.

The fuel cells were near full and there was no reported fuel spillage at the accident site. A vacuum check from the fuel inlet line at the fuel pump to the fuel shut off valve was satisfactorily completed. The fuel cells were drained using the maintenance fuel pump located in the fuel cell and the left fuel cell cover removed. The fuel cells appeared undamaged and the fuel removed looked visually clean. The maintenance fuel pump was removed and the fuel inlet ports and fuel tank sump was inspected. No contamination or blockage was found. Inspection of the fuel line plumbing and fittings did not identify any damage or discrepancies.

Visual inspection found the engine and related systems sustained only minimal external damage. There was visible impact damage to the engine's outer combustor case, fuel nozzle and fuel line. The fuel nozzle was cleaned just prior to the accident flight and the fuel line was reported loose at the accident site, however the fuel line also exhibited impact damage. The engine manufacturer reported that past experience has shown that b-nuts that are not fully torqued on the fuel nozzle may not affect normal engine operation, and that properly torqued b-nuts don't come loose under normal operating conditions.

There was no obvious evidence of fuel leakage in the engine area. Inspection of the engine mounts found the aft engine mount legs bent at the turn buckles. The left and right engine side mounts appeared undamaged. There were contact marks on the firewall from the engine driveshaft indicating movement of the engine during the crash sequence. With electrical power applied the engine trim switch (N2) was functional when tested. Some pneumatic and fuel line b-nuts had torque paint that was broken or misaligned. A check of air, fuel and oil lines found them to be at least hand tight. A check of the throttle and governor controls was completed with no discrepancies noted. The engine was removed from the airframe for further examination and testing.

Examination and functional testing of the engine was conducted on January 20, 2015 at Aeromaritime America Inc., located on Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona. Representatives from the airframe and engine manufacturers were present and oversight was provided by a FAA inspector. The damaged outer combustion case, combustion liner and fuel nozzle were replaced with serviceable items. Except for the fuel line to the fuel nozzle and the fuel supply line at the fuel control, no other fuel or pneumatic lines were altered prior to the test cell run. The engine was run on the test cell and no operational discrepancies were noted, with the engine producing rated power. After the test cell run, a pneumatic leak check was performed on the pneumatic portion of the fuel control system. The scroll to Pc filter line was disconnected and 30 psi air pressure was applied to the Pc filter. A soap solution was used to check all fittings and lines in the system for leaks. The Pg accumulator line connection showed a formation of small air bubbles indicating a leak. The line was tightened with wrenches and the leak stopped. All the other lines were checked with a torque wrench and found to have 65 inch-pound or greater torque.

Two external fuel lines were examined by the NTSB investigator-in-charge, one line that had orange fire sleeve attached from end to end that connected the engine to the firewall, and the other, a black hose connecting the firewall to the fuel shut off valve. The fuel lines were examined visually using a borescope, and by sectioning the lines into segments. Additionally, the fuel filter was examined and found to be clear of debris. The examination of these items revealed that they were in very good functional condition with no anomalies identified.

A fuel sample was taken from the fuel line that runs between the firewall and the shutoff valve. The sample was a clear fluid with a petroleum odor and had a small amount of white particulate sediment. The sample was analyzed by a third party. The sample was examined using ASTM D2887 (Standard Test Method for Boiling Range Distribution of Petroleum Fractions by Gas Chromatography) to determine the type of fuel in the sample. The distillation results for this sample were consistent with jet fuel (Jet-A). In addition, the visible particulates were tested using ASTM D5185 (Standard Test Method for Multi-element Determination of Used and Unused Lubricating Oils and Base Oils by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES)). The results were sodium (Na) 82.8 mg/kg, zinc (Zn) 4.9 mg/kg, iron (Fe) 5.4 mg/kg, and magnesium (Mg) 6.7 mg/kg. The elements found are commonly occurring elements found in many things, including soil.

The most recent weight and balance was dated April 3, 2014, showed the helicopter empty weight as 1975.22 pounds. At the time of the accident the gross weight was calculated to be 2,810 lbs. It was determined that the helicopter had been operating within the published weight and balance limits. Maintenance records and a witness statement show that a 100-hour airframe and engine inspection had been completed on December 31st but had not been signed off as completed by maintenance personnel before the pilots took the helicopter.

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

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department; Las Vegas, Nevada
Rolls Royce; Indianapolis, Indiana
MD Helicopters; Mesa, Arizona

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

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

http://registry.faa.gov/N530KK

NTSB Identification: WPR15TA071
14 CFR Public Aircraft
Accident occurred Wednesday, December 31, 2014 in Las Vegas, NV
Aircraft: MD HELICOPTER INC 369FF, registration: N530KK
Injuries: 2 Serious.

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

On December 31, 2014, about 1330, Pacific standard time, an MD Helicopter Inc. 369FF, N530KK, was substantially damaged during an emergency autorotation landing following a sudden loss of engine power in Las Vegas, Nevada. The two commercial pilots on board sustained serious injuries. The helicopter was registered to, and operated by, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department as a public aircraft flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from North Las Vegas Airport (VGT), Las Vegas, at 1322.

The pilot reported that he had taken off with 64 gallons of fuel and was orbiting over a fixed location when he noticed a drop in engine and rotor revolutions per minute (rpm). The pilot then rolled the helicopter out of the orbit, and the engine and rotor rpm stabilized momentarily at 97%. The pilot attempted to increase the engine and rotor rpm while turning west towards the North Las Vegas Airport. During the maneuver, the engine and rotor rpm rapidly degraded. The pilot entered an autorotation, and executed an emergency landing. The helicopter touched down hard, the tail impacted the ground, and separated from the airframe.

The helicopter was examined on-scene by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector. The inspector stated that he was only able to look at one side of the engine because of how the helicopter was positioned on the ground, and that he did not identify anything unusual. He checked the flight controls and reported that everything was connected. The helicopter was recovered to the Las Vegas Metro Police Department's hangar at the North Las Vegas Airport. Two FAA inspectors examined the helicopter on January 7, 2015, and reported that the engine outer combustion chamber, external fuel line connected to the fuel nozzle, and the fuel nozzle connection had sustained impact damage. Additionally, the engine fuel nozzle b-nut was "finger tight."

On January 14, 2015, representatives from MD Helicopters and Rolls-Royce examined the helicopter with oversight provided by a FAA inspector. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage structure, aft fuselage section, tailboom and landing gear. There was no damage to the main structural members of the fuselage and the transmission/static mast support structure. The aft cabin was intact with no visible damage. The underside of the fuselage displayed damage to the belly skin and supporting interior structure with major damage to the aft landing gear fitting and center beam.

The top aft surface of the composite engine air fairing showed evidence of main rotor blade contact along with the tailboom. The tailboom was severed into two segments. The forward segment was still attached to the upper aft boom fairing. The vertical and horizontal stabilizer were both firmly attached to the aft segment. The vertical stabilizer's stinger was broken off and the vertical and horizontal stabilizers both displayed impact damage from ground contact. The aft portion of the left and right landing gear struts were broken and splayed outward resulting in the helicopter coming to rest on the lower fuselage structure.

Cyclic and collective control continuity was verified. Damage to the tail rotor controls corresponded with tailboom damage. The tail rotor blades exhibited impact damage with bent spars or tear to the blade skin. The main rotor blade damage varied in severity and included blades being bent, chordwise wrinkling, leading/trailing edge and tip cap damage. One blade was fractured at the inboard end just outboard of the root fitting. Drive system continuity was verified. The main rotor system hub assembly and components displayed typical damage from main rotor blades contacting the tailboom during the hard landing. There was visible damage to the hub upper and lower shoe, feather bearings, pitch change housings, and droop stops. Damage was consistent with the excessive blade flapping and lead-lag excursions of the main rotor from sudden stoppage at low rotor rpm without engine power.

The fuel cells were near full and there was no reported fuel spillage at the accident site. A vacuum check from the fuel inlet line at the fuel pump to the fuel shut off valve was satisfactorily completed. The fuel cells were drained using the maintenance fuel pump located in the fuel cell and the left fuel cell cover removed. The fuel cells appeared undamaged and the fuel removed looked visually clean. The maintenance fuel pump was removed and the fuel inlet ports and fuel tank sump was inspected. No contamination or blockage was found. Inspection of the fuel line plumbing and fittings did not identify any damage or discrepancies.

Visual inspection found the engine and related systems sustained only minimal external damage. There was visible impact damage to the engine's outer combustor case, fuel nozzle and fuel line. The fuel nozzle was cleaned just prior to the accident flight and the fuel line was reported loose at the accident site, however the fuel line also exhibited impact damage. The engine manufacturer reported that past experience has shown that b-nuts that are not fully torqued on the fuel nozzle may not affect normal engine operation, and that properly torqued b-nuts don't come loose under normal operating conditions.

There was no obvious evidence of fuel leakage in the engine area. Inspection of the engine mounts found the aft engine mount legs bent at the turn buckles. The left and right engine side mounts appeared undamaged. There were contact marks on the firewall from the engine driveshaft indicating movement of the engine during the crash sequence. With electrical power applied the engine trim switch (N2) was functional when tested. Some pneumatic and fuel line b-nuts had torque paint that was broken or misaligned. A check of air, fuel and oil lines found them to be at least hand tight. A check of the throttle and governor controls was completed with no discrepancies noted. The engine was removed from the airframe for further examination and testing.

Examination and functional testing of the engine was conducted on January 20, 2015 at Aeromaritime America Inc., located on Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona. Representatives from the airframe and engine manufacturers were present and oversight was provided by a FAA inspector. The damaged outer combustion case, combustion liner and fuel nozzle were replaced with serviceable items. Except for the fuel line to the fuel nozzle and the fuel supply line at the fuel control, no other fuel or pneumatic lines were altered prior to the test cell run. The engine was run on the test cell and no operational discrepancies were noted, with the engine producing rated power. After the test cell run, a pneumatic leak check was performed on the pneumatic portion of the fuel control system. The scroll to Pc filter line was disconnected and 30 psi air pressure was applied to the Pc filter. A soap solution was used to check all fittings and lines in the system for leaks. The Pg accumulator line connection showed a formation of small air bubbles indicating a leak. The line was tightened with wrenches and the leak stopped. All the other lines were checked with a torque wrench and found to have 65 inch-pound or greater torque.

Two external fuel lines were examined by the NTSB investigator-in-charge, one line that had orange fire sleeve attached from end to end that connected the engine to the firewall, and the other, a black hose connecting the firewall to the fuel shut off valve. The fuel lines were examined visually using a borescope, and by sectioning the lines into segments. Additionally, the fuel filter was examined and found to be clear of debris. The examination of these items revealed that they were in very good functional condition with no anomalies identified.

A fuel sample was taken from the fuel line that runs between the firewall and the shutoff valve. The sample was a clear fluid with a petroleum odor and had a small amount of white particulate sediment. The sample was analyzed by a third party. The sample was examined using ASTM D2887 (Standard Test Method for Boiling Range Distribution of Petroleum Fractions by Gas Chromatography) to determine the type of fuel in the sample. The distillation results for this sample were consistent with jet fuel (Jet-A). In addition, the visible particulates were tested using ASTM D5185 (Standard Test Method for Multi-element Determination of Used and Unused Lubricating Oils and Base Oils by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES)). The results were sodium (Na) 82.8 mg/kg, zinc (Zn) 4.9 mg/kg, iron (Fe) 5.4 mg/kg, and magnesium (Mg) 6.7 mg/kg. The elements found are commonly occurring elements found in many things, including soil.


The most recent weight and balance was dated April 3, 2014, showed the helicopter empty weight as 1975.22 pounds. At the time of the accident the gross weight was calculated to be 2,810 lbs. It was determined that the helicopter had been operating within the published weight and balance limits. Maintenance records and a witness statement show that a 100-hour airframe and engine inspection had been completed on December 31st but had not been signed off as completed by maintenance personnel before the pilots took the helicopter.

NTSB Identification: WPR15TA071
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, December 31, 2014 in Las Vegas, NV
Aircraft: MD HELICOPTER INC 369FF, registration: N530KK
Injuries: 2 Minor.

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 public aircraft accident report.

On December 31, 2014, about 1330 Pacific standard time, an MD Helicopter Inc. 369FF, N530KK, was substantially damaged during an emergency autorotation following a sudden loss of engine power in Las Vegas, Nevada. The two commercial pilots on board sustained minor injuries. The helicopter was registered to, and operated by, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department as a public-use flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from North Las Vegas Airport, Las Vegas, at 1322.

The pilot reported that he was orbiting when he noticed a drop in engine and rotor revolutions per minute (rpm). The pilot then rolled the helicopter out of the orbit, and the engine and rotor rpm stabilized momentarily at 97%. The pilot attempted to increase the engine and rotor rpm while turning west towards the North Las Vegas Airport. During the maneuver, the engine and rotor rpm rapidly degraded. The pilot entered an autorotation, and executed an emergency landing. The helicopter touched down hard, the tail impacted the ground, and separated from the airframe. 

  LAS VEGAS -- The officers involved in the emergency landing of a Metro helicopter on a residential street on New Year's Eve have have been identified as Officer David Callen and Officer Paul Lourenco. 

Officer Callen has been employed with the Metro since March 2000 and Officer Lourenco has been employed with the LVMPD since July 1997.

Both officers are pilots assigned to the Emergency Operations Bureau, Search and Rescue/Air Support Detail.

Both officers were treated for their injuries at the University Medical Center Trauma Center and were released the same evening. The officers are both experienced pilots, each having over 2,200 flight hours, and both are certified flight instructors.

An audio clip of the radio traffic of the incident accompanies this release.

An extensive review of each of the aircraft in the LVMPD fleet is currently underway. Initially, no LVMPD helicopters will be flying in regular service. Each of the aircraft will go through a detailed inspection and maintenance record check. At the conclusion of each inspection, the respective aircraft will be released back into service.

The six helicopters in Metro’s fleet include one Bell 407, three McDonnell Douglas 530-FF’s, and two Bell HH-1H’s. The aircraft involved in this incident was a McDonnell Douglas 530-FF. The department now has five operational helicopters in the fleet.

The investigation into this incident remains ongoing. The Federal Aviation Administration is taking the lead in the investigation.



LAS VEGAS -- A Metro Police helicopter crashed in a Las Vegas neighborhood Wednesday afternoon injuring two officers, police said.

The crash occurred at 1:30 p.m. at Bonanza Road and 21st Street. The helicopter went down in the street, according to Metro.

The officers were transported to University Medical Center, police said. The FAA reports that the injuries aren't believed to be life-threatening. No citizens were injured.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area. Bonanza Road is closed between Bruce Street and Eastern Avenue.

Metro purchased the new MD 530F helicopter in July 2010. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Air Support Unit began operation in 1969. The unit has 22 helicopter pilots.

The NTSB and the FAA are investigating.

Story, Comments, Video and Photo Gallery:   http://www.8newsnow.com























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

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department; Las Vegas, Nevada
Rolls Royce; Indianapolis, Indiana
MD Helicopters; Mesa, Arizona

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

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

http://registry.faa.gov/N530KK





NTSB Identification: WPR15TA071
14 CFR Public Aircraft
Accident occurred Wednesday, December 31, 2014 in Las Vegas, NV
Aircraft: MD HELICOPTER INC 369FF, registration: N530KK
Injuries: 2 Serious.

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

On December 31, 2014, about 1330, Pacific standard time, an MD Helicopter Inc. 369FF, N530KK, was substantially damaged during an emergency autorotation landing following a sudden loss of engine power in Las Vegas, Nevada. The two commercial pilots on board sustained serious injuries. The helicopter was registered to, and operated by, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department as a public aircraft flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from North Las Vegas Airport (VGT), Las Vegas, at 1322.

The pilot reported that he had taken off with 64 gallons of fuel and was orbiting over a fixed location when he noticed a drop in engine and rotor revolutions per minute (rpm). The pilot then rolled the helicopter out of the orbit, and the engine and rotor rpm stabilized momentarily at 97%. The pilot attempted to increase the engine and rotor rpm while turning west towards the North Las Vegas Airport. During the maneuver, the engine and rotor rpm rapidly degraded. The pilot entered an autorotation, and executed an emergency landing. The helicopter touched down hard, the tail impacted the ground, and separated from the airframe.

The helicopter was examined on-scene by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector. The inspector stated that he was only able to look at one side of the engine because of how the helicopter was positioned on the ground, and that he did not identify anything unusual. He checked the flight controls and reported that everything was connected. The helicopter was recovered to the Las Vegas Metro Police Department's hangar at the North Las Vegas Airport. Two FAA inspectors examined the helicopter on January 7, 2015, and reported that the engine outer combustion chamber, external fuel line connected to the fuel nozzle, and the fuel nozzle connection had sustained impact damage. Additionally, the engine fuel nozzle b-nut was "finger tight."

On January 14, 2015, representatives from MD Helicopters and Rolls-Royce examined the helicopter with oversight provided by a FAA inspector. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage structure, aft fuselage section, tailboom and landing gear. There was no damage to the main structural members of the fuselage and the transmission/static mast support structure. The aft cabin was intact with no visible damage. The underside of the fuselage displayed damage to the belly skin and supporting interior structure with major damage to the aft landing gear fitting and center beam.

The top aft surface of the composite engine air fairing showed evidence of main rotor blade contact along with the tailboom. The tailboom was severed into two segments. The forward segment was still attached to the upper aft boom fairing. The vertical and horizontal stabilizer were both firmly attached to the aft segment. The vertical stabilizer's stinger was broken off and the vertical and horizontal stabilizers both displayed impact damage from ground contact. The aft portion of the left and right landing gear struts were broken and splayed outward resulting in the helicopter coming to rest on the lower fuselage structure.

Cyclic and collective control continuity was verified. Damage to the tail rotor controls corresponded with tailboom damage. The tail rotor blades exhibited impact damage with bent spars or tear to the blade skin. The main rotor blade damage varied in severity and included blades being bent, chordwise wrinkling, leading/trailing edge and tip cap damage. One blade was fractured at the inboard end just outboard of the root fitting. Drive system continuity was verified. The main rotor system hub assembly and components displayed typical damage from main rotor blades contacting the tailboom during the hard landing. There was visible damage to the hub upper and lower shoe, feather bearings, pitch change housings, and droop stops. Damage was consistent with the excessive blade flapping and lead-lag excursions of the main rotor from sudden stoppage at low rotor rpm without engine power.

The fuel cells were near full and there was no reported fuel spillage at the accident site. A vacuum check from the fuel inlet line at the fuel pump to the fuel shut off valve was satisfactorily completed. The fuel cells were drained using the maintenance fuel pump located in the fuel cell and the left fuel cell cover removed. The fuel cells appeared undamaged and the fuel removed looked visually clean. The maintenance fuel pump was removed and the fuel inlet ports and fuel tank sump was inspected. No contamination or blockage was found. Inspection of the fuel line plumbing and fittings did not identify any damage or discrepancies.

Visual inspection found the engine and related systems sustained only minimal external damage. There was visible impact damage to the engine's outer combustor case, fuel nozzle and fuel line. The fuel nozzle was cleaned just prior to the accident flight and the fuel line was reported loose at the accident site, however the fuel line also exhibited impact damage. The engine manufacturer reported that past experience has shown that b-nuts that are not fully torqued on the fuel nozzle may not affect normal engine operation, and that properly torqued b-nuts don't come loose under normal operating conditions.

There was no obvious evidence of fuel leakage in the engine area. Inspection of the engine mounts found the aft engine mount legs bent at the turn buckles. The left and right engine side mounts appeared undamaged. There were contact marks on the firewall from the engine driveshaft indicating movement of the engine during the crash sequence. With electrical power applied the engine trim switch (N2) was functional when tested. Some pneumatic and fuel line b-nuts had torque paint that was broken or misaligned. A check of air, fuel and oil lines found them to be at least hand tight. A check of the throttle and governor controls was completed with no discrepancies noted. The engine was removed from the airframe for further examination and testing.

Examination and functional testing of the engine was conducted on January 20, 2015 at Aeromaritime America Inc., located on Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona. Representatives from the airframe and engine manufacturers were present and oversight was provided by a FAA inspector. The damaged outer combustion case, combustion liner and fuel nozzle were replaced with serviceable items. Except for the fuel line to the fuel nozzle and the fuel supply line at the fuel control, no other fuel or pneumatic lines were altered prior to the test cell run. The engine was run on the test cell and no operational discrepancies were noted, with the engine producing rated power. After the test cell run, a pneumatic leak check was performed on the pneumatic portion of the fuel control system. The scroll to Pc filter line was disconnected and 30 psi air pressure was applied to the Pc filter. A soap solution was used to check all fittings and lines in the system for leaks. The Pg accumulator line connection showed a formation of small air bubbles indicating a leak. The line was tightened with wrenches and the leak stopped. All the other lines were checked with a torque wrench and found to have 65 inch-pound or greater torque.

Two external fuel lines were examined by the NTSB investigator-in-charge, one line that had orange fire sleeve attached from end to end that connected the engine to the firewall, and the other, a black hose connecting the firewall to the fuel shut off valve. The fuel lines were examined visually using a borescope, and by sectioning the lines into segments. Additionally, the fuel filter was examined and found to be clear of debris. The examination of these items revealed that they were in very good functional condition with no anomalies identified.

A fuel sample was taken from the fuel line that runs between the firewall and the shutoff valve. The sample was a clear fluid with a petroleum odor and had a small amount of white particulate sediment. The sample was analyzed by a third party. The sample was examined using ASTM D2887 (Standard Test Method for Boiling Range Distribution of Petroleum Fractions by Gas Chromatography) to determine the type of fuel in the sample. The distillation results for this sample were consistent with jet fuel (Jet-A). In addition, the visible particulates were tested using ASTM D5185 (Standard Test Method for Multi-element Determination of Used and Unused Lubricating Oils and Base Oils by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES)). The results were sodium (Na) 82.8 mg/kg, zinc (Zn) 4.9 mg/kg, iron (Fe) 5.4 mg/kg, and magnesium (Mg) 6.7 mg/kg. The elements found are commonly occurring elements found in many things, including soil.

The most recent weight and balance was dated April 3, 2014, showed the helicopter empty weight as 1975.22 pounds. At the time of the accident the gross weight was calculated to be 2,810 lbs. It was determined that the helicopter had been operating within the published weight and balance limits. Maintenance records and a witness statement show that a 100-hour airframe and engine inspection had been completed on December 31st but had not been signed off as completed by maintenance personnel before the pilots took the helicopter.








NTSB Identification: WPR15TA071
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, December 31, 2014 in Las Vegas, NV
Aircraft: MD HELICOPTER INC 369FF, registration: N530KK
Injuries: 2 Minor.

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 public aircraft accident report.

On December 31, 2014, about 1330 Pacific standard time, an MD Helicopter Inc. 369FF, N530KK, was substantially damaged during an emergency autorotation following a sudden loss of engine power in Las Vegas, Nevada. The two commercial pilots on board sustained minor injuries. The helicopter was registered to, and operated by, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department as a public-use flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from North Las Vegas Airport, Las Vegas, at 1322.

The pilot reported that he was orbiting when he noticed a drop in engine and rotor revolutions per minute (rpm). The pilot then rolled the helicopter out of the orbit, and the engine and rotor rpm stabilized momentarily at 97%. The pilot attempted to increase the engine and rotor rpm while turning west towards the North Las Vegas Airport. During the maneuver, the engine and rotor rpm rapidly degraded. The pilot entered an autorotation, and executed an emergency landing. The helicopter touched down hard, the tail impacted the ground, and separated from the airframe.  With one of the agency’s three patrol helicopters permanently out of commission after a crash on New Year’s Eve, Las Vegas police are poised to bring in a replacement. 

On Monday, Metro’s Fiscal Affairs Committee will vote on whether to approve the purchase of the new $3.1 million 530F model chopper from MD Helicopters, a company based in Mesa, Ariz.

Nearly the entire cost will be covered by the insurance payment received from the crashed helicopter, according to Metro Air Unit Lt. Jack Clements.

On Dec. 31, Metro’s Air #2 — a carbon copy of the one being purchased — was on it’s way to a police call when it lost engine power.

With limited time before the aircraft plummeted, the two pilots acted quickly and picked two-lane 23rd Street, a residential road near Bonanza Road, as their landing zone. Avoiding several power lines, they put the helicopter into an autorotation — a power-loss maneuver that allows a pilot to remain in control with the rotor blades still turning to slow the descent.

The helicopter landed hard onto the narrow street, avoiding a dumpster and a car on the side of the road. The impact broke the tail from the body.

The exact cause for the power loss is still under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. It typically takes about a year for a final report to be released.

Both pilots suffered minor injuries. Clements said both are recovering well, with one back on light duty and the other expected to return to light duty soon.

Since the crash, the Air Unit has been scraping by.

The other two helicopters in the patrol unit, a Bell 407 and another MD 530F, have been flying more frequently, which means the maintenance of each skyrockets, Clements said. The unit has also been forced to use the MD 530F that is in the Search and Rescue unit to further supplement for the loss.

“When you’re short a helicopter, it’s not easy,” Clements said. “Having three dedicated patrol helicopters really helps.”

Typically, buying a new helicopter from a manufacturer can take at least two years, Clements said. But Metro will only have to wait about six months after the purchase, which is expected to be approved Monday.

A private buyer was set to receive the helicopter but gave up his spot on the waiting list when he heard Metro was in need, Clements said.

“We got very very lucky,” Clements said.

If everything goes according to the purchasing contract, the new chopper will be flying above Las Vegas by October.

Original article can be found here: http://www.reviewjournal.com

NTSB Identification: WPR15TA071
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, December 31, 2014 in Las Vegas, NV
Aircraft: MD HELICOPTER INC 369FF, registration: N530KK
Injuries: 2 Minor.

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 public aircraft accident report.

On December 31, 2014, about 1330 Pacific standard time, an MD Helicopter Inc. 369FF, N530KK, was substantially damaged during an emergency autorotation following a sudden loss of engine power in Las Vegas, Nevada. The two commercial pilots on board sustained minor injuries. The helicopter was registered to, and operated by, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department as a public-use flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from North Las Vegas Airport, Las Vegas, at 1322.

The pilot reported that he was orbiting when he noticed a drop in engine and rotor revolutions per minute (rpm). The pilot then rolled the helicopter out of the orbit, and the engine and rotor rpm stabilized momentarily at 97%. The pilot attempted to increase the engine and rotor rpm while turning west towards the North Las Vegas Airport. During the maneuver, the engine and rotor rpm rapidly degraded. The pilot entered an autorotation, and executed an emergency landing. The helicopter touched down hard, the tail impacted the ground, and separated from the airframe. 


Metro police surround a Metro helicopter that came down hard on 23rd Street, about a block north of Bonanza Rd. on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014

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