Friday, June 24, 2016

Robinson R66, N117TW: Fatal accident occurred June 23, 2016 in Wikieup, Mohave County, Arizona

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

Analysis

The commercial pilot and the pilot-rated passenger departed on a cross-country positioning flight. The helicopter was reported overdue when it did not arrive at the destination, and the wreckage was located the following morning. There were no witnesses to the accident, no recorded radar data, and no recorded radio transmissions from the pilot.

Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any preexisting anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the helicopter. There was evidence that a mast bumping event had occurred and that the main rotor blades had contacted the airframe, which resulted in an in-flight break-up. There was no recorded information available that could be used to determine the helicopter's airspeed, altitude, or the pilot's control inputs.

A weather study indicated that conditions were conducive to the development of significant updrafts or thermals of rising air and dust devils, and people near the accident site reported that there were numerous dust devils in the area.

It is likely that the helicopter encountered turbulence due to updrafts and/or dust devils, and the pilot lost control of the helicopter, which resulted in mast bumping.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
An encounter with turbulence due to updrafts and/or dust devils that resulted in mast bumping and an in-flight break-up.


Guidance Air Services:  Director of Commercial Operations Tim Brown and Chief Instructor Pilot Dave Cormey.



The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Scottsdale, Arizona
Robinson Helicopter Company; Torrance, California
Rolls-Royce; Indianapolis, Indiana
Guidance Aviation; Prescott, Arizona

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

Registered Owner: Zions Credit Group

Operator Does Business As: Guidance Air Services

http://registry.faa.gov/N117TW



NTSB Identification: WPR16FA130
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, June 23, 2016 in Wikieup, AZ
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER CO R66, registration: N117TW
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 23, 2016, about 1425 mountain standard time, a Robinson Helicopter Company R66, N117TW, broke up in flight near Wikieup, Arizona. The commercial pilot and the pilot-rated passenger sustained fatal injuries; the helicopter was destroyed. Guidance Air Service LLC was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The cross-country positioning flight departed Prescott, Arizona, about 1338 with a planned destination of Riverside, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

According to the operator, the pilot, who was seated in the right seat, was going to Riverside to take a Part 135.293 check ride with an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Standards District Office located there. The pilot-rated passenger, who was seated in the left seat, was the operator's Part 141 chief pilot.

The helicopter was reported overdue when it did not arrive at the destination, and the wreckage was located about 0430 on June 24. There were no witnesses to the accident, no recorded radar data, and no recorded radio transmissions from the pilot.

A SPOT device, which is a handheld GPS tracking device that uses a satellite network enabling text messaging and GPS tracking services, was present on the helicopter. Records provided by the operator listed 19 location fixes beginning at Prescott at 1338 and proceeding on a southwesterly heading. The last data point at 1425 was in the vicinity of the accident site.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION


AIRCRAFT INFORMATION


METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS

The southwest section of the National Weather Service surface analysis chart depicted a thermal low pressure system west of the accident site. The closest upper air sounding from Yuma, Arizona, about 90 miles south of the accident site, depicted thermal profiles that supported strong thermals through 8,500 ft. The lifted index (a common measure of atmospheric instability) and the K-index (a measure of thunderstorm potential) indicated conditions conducive to development of significant updrafts or thermals of rising air and dust devils. Other weather products supported strong thermals to 11,000 ft.

Two people near the accident site reported seeing numerous large dust devils. One person was an airframe and powerplant mechanic driving on a highway, and he saw as many as five dust devils simultaneously. The other person was the pilot of an R44 who was performing aerial survey work immediately north of the accident site. He stated that beginning at 1130 the winds became stronger and gustier. Over the next couple of hours, he observed numerous dust devils, and experienced a significant updraft in excess of 1,000 ft per minute. About 1515, he decided to discontinue operations and encountered a significant wind shift while returning to his base.

A dust devil is a strong, well-formed whirlwind that can range from a few feet to hundreds of feet wide, and can reach heights of several hundred feet. In the United States, dust devils have been reported in every state with Arizona reporting the highest frequencies of occurrence, and they are most frequent between June and August. They have been implicated as a cause or contributing factor in about 50 aircraft accidents between 2000 and 2015 according to the NTSB database.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The helicopter came to rest in hilly desert terrain. The debris field was about 750 yards long and 150 yards wide. One of the first pieces identified was the outboard 5 ft of a main rotor blade afterbody that had separated from the leading edge spar and displayed black paint transfer marks near the tip. It was located on the top of a small ridgeline. The inboard section of this main rotor blade was about 600 yards into the debris field and 85 yards left of the debris path centerline.

The left side of the helicopter was more fragmented than the right; left side cabin pieces and instruments were distributed throughout the early part of the debris field. The tail boom was about midway into the debris field. The left side/nose cabin, which was located near the tail boom had a straight separation line or slice across one side, and some floor panels at the aft end of the slice were crushed in an accordion pattern. The cabin came to rest inverted about 600 yards into the debris field, and was destroyed by a postcrash fire. The engine remained attached to the cabin.

The transmission, mast, and second main rotor blade separated as a unit, and were about 100 yards past the cabin area in the direction of the centerline of the debris field. The coning bolt of the separated blade was bent, and the teeter stops for both blades had impact marks across their centers. The attached blade was bent midspan about 10° to 20° opposite the direction of rotation. The main rotor driveshaft was bent about 15° at the swashplate.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

Pilot

The Mohave County Medical Examiner's Office completed an external exam autopsy of the pilot. The cause of death was determined to be multiple injuries due to a helicopter crash.

Toxicology testing of the specimens from the pilot by the FAA's Bioaeronautical Science's Research Laboratory, Oklahoma, City, Oklahoma, were negative for ethanol and tested drugs in the muscle.

Pilot-Rated Passenger

The Mohave County Medical Examiner's Office completed an autopsy of the pilot-rated passenger. The cause of death was determined to be multiple injuries due to a helicopter crash.

Toxicology testing of the specimens from the pilot-rated passenger by the FAA's Bioaeronautical Science's Research Laboratory were negative for tested drugs in the liver.

The testing detected 80 (mg/dL, mg/hg) ethanol in muscle, and Propanol (N-) was detected in muscle; no ethanol was detected in the brain. The report noted that putrefaction of the specimens had occurred.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Robinson Safety Notice SN-32 discusses flight in high winds and turbulence and explains how improper application of control inputs in response to turbulence can increase the likelihood of a mast bumping accident. It recommends that pilots reduce airspeed below normal cruise speed to 60 to 70 knots for flight in significant turbulence. It suggests techniques to avoid overcontrol of the helicopter, and says to avoid flying on the downwind side of hills and ridges.

NTSB Identification: WPR16FA130
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, June 23, 2016 in Wikieup, AZ
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER CO R66, registration: N117TW
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

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 either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On June 23, 2016, about 1420 mountain standard time, a Robinson R66, N117TW, collided with terrain under unknown circumstances near Wikieup, Arizona. Guidance Aviation was operating the helicopter under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The commercial pilot and the commercial pilot rated passenger sustained fatal injuries. The helicopter was destroyed during the accident sequence, and the cabin area was consumed by a post impact fire. The cross-country positioning flight departed Prescott, Arizona, about 1340 with a planned destination of Riverside, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. 

The pilot was going to Riverside to take a Part 135 chief pilot check ride with an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Standards District Office located there. The pilot rated passenger was the operator's Part 141 Chief Pilot. 

The airplane was reported overdue when it did not arrive at the destination, and the wreckage was located about 0430 on June 24. 

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), inspectors from the FAA, and an investigator from Robinson Helicopter Company examined the wreckage on site. The helicopter came to rest in hilly desert terrain. The debris field was about 750 yards long and 150 yards wide. One of the first pieces identified was the outboard 5 feet of a main rotor blade afterbody that had separated from the leading edge spar. The left side of the helicopter was more fragmented than the right, and left side cabin pieces and instruments were distributed throughout the early part of the debris field. The tail boom was about midway into the debris field. The left side/nose cabin was in the same approximate part of the debris field with a straight separation line across one side. The cabin came to rest inverted about 600 yards into the debris field, and was destroyed by a postcrash fire. The engine remained attached to the cabin. The remaining piece of main rotor blade was about the same distance into the debris field, but 85 yards left of the debris path centerline. The transmission, mast, and second main rotor blade separated as a unit, and were about 100 yards past the cabin area in the direction of the centerline of the debris field. The main rotor driveshaft was bent approximately 15 degrees at the swashplate.
Guidance Air Services:  Director of Commercial Operations Tim Brown and Chief Instructor Pilot Dave Cormey.



The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Scottsdale, Arizona
Robinson Helicopter Company; Torrance, California
Rolls-Royce; Indianapolis, Indiana
Guidance Aviation; Prescott, Arizona

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

Registered Owner: Zions Credit Group

Operator Does Business As: Guidance Air Services

http://registry.faa.gov/N117TW

NTSB Identification: WPR16FA130
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, June 23, 2016 in Wikieup, AZ
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER CO R66, registration: N117TW
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 23, 2016, about 1425 mountain standard time, a Robinson Helicopter Company R66, N117TW, broke up in flight near Wikieup, Arizona. The commercial pilot and the pilot-rated passenger sustained fatal injuries; the helicopter was destroyed. Guidance Air Service LLC was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The cross-country positioning flight departed Prescott, Arizona, about 1338 with a planned destination of Riverside, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

According to the operator, the pilot, who was seated in the right seat, was going to Riverside to take a Part 135.293 check ride with an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Standards District Office located there. The pilot-rated passenger, who was seated in the left seat, was the operator's Part 141 chief pilot.

The helicopter was reported overdue when it did not arrive at the destination, and the wreckage was located about 0430 on June 24. There were no witnesses to the accident, no recorded radar data, and no recorded radio transmissions from the pilot.

A SPOT device, which is a handheld GPS tracking device that uses a satellite network enabling text messaging and GPS tracking services, was present on the helicopter. Records provided by the operator listed 19 location fixes beginning at Prescott at 1338 and proceeding on a southwesterly heading. The last data point at 1425 was in the vicinity of the accident site.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION


AIRCRAFT INFORMATION


METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS

The southwest section of the National Weather Service surface analysis chart depicted a thermal low pressure system west of the accident site. The closest upper air sounding from Yuma, Arizona, about 90 miles south of the accident site, depicted thermal profiles that supported strong thermals through 8,500 ft. The lifted index (a common measure of atmospheric instability) and the K-index (a measure of thunderstorm potential) indicated conditions conducive to development of significant updrafts or thermals of rising air and dust devils. Other weather products supported strong thermals to 11,000 ft.

Two people near the accident site reported seeing numerous large dust devils. One person was an airframe and powerplant mechanic driving on a highway, and he saw as many as five dust devils simultaneously. The other person was the pilot of an R44 who was performing aerial survey work immediately north of the accident site. He stated that beginning at 1130 the winds became stronger and gustier. Over the next couple of hours, he observed numerous dust devils, and experienced a significant updraft in excess of 1,000 ft per minute. About 1515, he decided to discontinue operations and encountered a significant wind shift while returning to his base.

A dust devil is a strong, well-formed whirlwind that can range from a few feet to hundreds of feet wide, and can reach heights of several hundred feet. In the United States, dust devils have been reported in every state with Arizona reporting the highest frequencies of occurrence, and they are most frequent between June and August. They have been implicated as a cause or contributing factor in about 50 aircraft accidents between 2000 and 2015 according to the NTSB database.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The helicopter came to rest in hilly desert terrain. The debris field was about 750 yards long and 150 yards wide. One of the first pieces identified was the outboard 5 ft of a main rotor blade afterbody that had separated from the leading edge spar and displayed black paint transfer marks near the tip. It was located on the top of a small ridgeline. The inboard section of this main rotor blade was about 600 yards into the debris field and 85 yards left of the debris path centerline.

The left side of the helicopter was more fragmented than the right; left side cabin pieces and instruments were distributed throughout the early part of the debris field. The tail boom was about midway into the debris field. The left side/nose cabin, which was located near the tail boom had a straight separation line or slice across one side, and some floor panels at the aft end of the slice were crushed in an accordion pattern. The cabin came to rest inverted about 600 yards into the debris field, and was destroyed by a postcrash fire. The engine remained attached to the cabin.

The transmission, mast, and second main rotor blade separated as a unit, and were about 100 yards past the cabin area in the direction of the centerline of the debris field. The coning bolt of the separated blade was bent, and the teeter stops for both blades had impact marks across their centers. The attached blade was bent midspan about 10° to 20° opposite the direction of rotation. The main rotor driveshaft was bent about 15° at the swashplate.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

Pilot

The Mohave County Medical Examiner's Office completed an external exam autopsy of the pilot. The cause of death was determined to be multiple injuries due to a helicopter crash.

Toxicology testing of the specimens from the pilot by the FAA's Bioaeronautical Science's Research Laboratory, Oklahoma, City, Oklahoma, were negative for ethanol and tested drugs in the muscle.

Pilot-Rated Passenger

The Mohave County Medical Examiner's Office completed an autopsy of the pilot-rated passenger. The cause of death was determined to be multiple injuries due to a helicopter crash.

Toxicology testing of the specimens from the pilot-rated passenger by the FAA's Bioaeronautical Science's Research Laboratory were negative for tested drugs in the liver.

The testing detected 80 (mg/dL, mg/hg) ethanol in muscle, and Propanol (N-) was detected in muscle; no ethanol was detected in the brain. The report noted that putrefaction of the specimens had occurred.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Robinson Safety Notice SN-32 discusses flight in high winds and turbulence and explains how improper application of control inputs in response to turbulence can increase the likelihood of a mast bumping accident. It recommends that pilots reduce airspeed below normal cruise speed to 60 to 70 knots for flight in significant turbulence. It suggests techniques to avoid overcontrol of the helicopter, and says to avoid flying on the downwind side of hills and ridges.

NTSB Identification: WPR16FA130
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, June 23, 2016 in Wikieup, AZ
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER CO R66, registration: N117TW
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

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 either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On June 23, 2016, about 1420 mountain standard time, a Robinson R66, N117TW, collided with terrain under unknown circumstances near Wikieup, Arizona. Guidance Aviation was operating the helicopter under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The commercial pilot and the commercial pilot rated passenger sustained fatal injuries. The helicopter was destroyed during the accident sequence, and the cabin area was consumed by a post impact fire. The cross-country positioning flight departed Prescott, Arizona, about 1340 with a planned destination of Riverside, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. 

The pilot was going to Riverside to take a Part 135 chief pilot check ride with an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Standards District Office located there. The pilot rated passenger was the operator's Part 141 Chief Pilot. 

The airplane was reported overdue when it did not arrive at the destination, and the wreckage was located about 0430 on June 24. 

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), inspectors from the FAA, and an investigator from Robinson Helicopter Company examined the wreckage on site. The helicopter came to rest in hilly desert terrain. The debris field was about 750 yards long and 150 yards wide. One of the first pieces identified was the outboard 5 feet of a main rotor blade afterbody that had separated from the leading edge spar. The left side of the helicopter was more fragmented than the right, and left side cabin pieces and instruments were distributed throughout the early part of the debris field. The tail boom was about midway into the debris field. The left side/nose cabin was in the same approximate part of the debris field with a straight separation line across one side. The cabin came to rest inverted about 600 yards into the debris field, and was destroyed by a postcrash fire. The engine remained attached to the cabin. The remaining piece of main rotor blade was about the same distance into the debris field, but 85 yards left of the debris path centerline. The transmission, mast, and second main rotor blade separated as a unit, and were about 100 yards past the cabin area in the direction of the centerline of the debris field. The main rotor driveshaft was bent approximately 15 degrees at the swashplate.




WIKIEUP, AZ (KPHO/KTVK) -

Two people are dead following a helicopter crash near Wikieup, according to the Mohave County Sheriff's Office

The Robinson R66 helicopter crashed Thursday afternoon while flying from Prescott to Riverside, California. Search crews found the wreckage of the helicopter early Friday morning.

Authorities said the helicopter burned after crashing.

Identification of the two males is pending medical examiner review.

The aircraft was reported overdue when it failed to arrive at its destination on time.

The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office tracked the victims' cellphone to an area just north of Alamo Lake, south of Wikieup.

Mohave County Search and Rescue Units responded, along with the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office and Department of Public Safety Ranger, and were able to locate the crash site about 8 miles west of Highway 93 off Signal Road.

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector is heading to the crash site.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate to determine the cause of the crash.

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


WIKIEUP, Ariz. - Mohave County Sheriff's Search and Rescue unit found the bodies of two men at the site of a helicopter crash early Friday morning.

According to a media release, at approximately 12:20 a.m., Mohave County Sheriff's Office was contacted by Yavapai Sheriff's Office for report of an overdue flight that was bound from Riverside, California and scheduled to land in Prescott.

Yavapai County Sheriff's Office tracked the victims' cell phone to an area just north of Alamo Lake, south of Wikieup.

Search and Rescue Units along with the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office and a Department of Public Safety Ranger were able to locate the crash site and found two deceased men.

Their identities will be revealed pending the medical examiner's review.

The FAA and the NTSB will continue to investigate the cause of the crash.

Story and video: http://www.12news.com




WIKIEUP, Ariz. - Officials say two men are dead after a helicopter crash near Wikieup on Thursday.

The FAA says the Robinson R66 helicopter had two people on board, heading to Riverside, Calif. from Prescott.

The aircraft was reported overdue when it failed to arrive at the destination.

Mohave County Sheriff's Office says one of the victim's cell phones was tracked to an area north of Alamo Lake near Wikieup.

Search crews found the wreckage early Friday morning. The helicopter had reportedly burned up after the crash and the two occupants were found dead.

Their identities have not yet been released.

The NTSB and FAA are looking into the cause of the crash.

Story and video:  http://www.abc15.com

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