The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Columbus, Ohio
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/N32KS
Location: Beach City, OH
Accident Number: CEN18LA239
Date & Time: 06/25/2018, 0930 EDT
Registration: N32KS
Aircraft: SIBILA MH-1
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (total)
Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
On June 25, 2018, about 0830 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Sibila MH1 helicopter, N32KS, impacted terrain during a forced landing near Beach City, Ohio. The pilot received serious injuries; and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The helicopter was owned and operated by an individual under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the flight, which was not on a flight plan. The helicopter departed about 0825 from Beach City Airport (2D7), Beach City, Ohio, on a local flight.
The pilot reported that he departed on a maintenance flight to track and balance the helicopter's main rotor. He made several flights to make adjustments to the main rotor. On the last flight, he was making the approach to land and he was about 40 ft above ground level (agl) when the engine "completely shut down" without any warning. He entered an autorotation for the forced landing, but within seconds the helicopter impacted the terrain, the skids collapsed, and it rolled on its side.
The owner and builder of the helicopter witnessed the accident and was located about 3,000 ft from the accident site. He stated the helicopter appeared to be about 20 to 30 ft agl and he thought the pilot planned to turn toward the runway. Then the helicopter appeared to enter a steady descent until ground contact. When he arrived at the accident site, the helicopter pilot told him that the engine just "quit."
The examination of the helicopter revealed that all three carburetors were dislodged from the intake manifold. The outer two clamps of the intake manifold appeared to be loose, and there were no threads protruding through the outboard clamps. The third intake manifold clamp was found at the initial impact area, and the clamp appeared to be tight in reference to the threads protruding through the clamp nut.
The engine was a 3-cylinder Yamaha Genesis 120-horsepower engine that was originally designed to be used in snowmobiles. It was a 3 carburetor 4-stroke engine with slaved carburetors with dual electrical fuel pumps. It was a rebuilt zero-time engine and it had 9.1 hours on the hour meter at the time of the accident.
The engine was prepared for an engine run/test, including re-installing the intake manifold and tightening all the clamps. Full throttle travel was checked, and the fuel pumps were turned on and it was confirmed that there were no fuel leaks. The engine started with no hesitation, but the run time was limited due to damaged cooling fans. After the second engine run, the outboard intake manifold clamps were loosened to the point were no threads protruded through the clamp, but the center clamp was left in the tightened position. The carburetor assembly was forcefully pushed and pulled but the induction system did not come loose from the intake manifold.
The pilot reported that he held a private pilot's certificate with single-engine, multi-engine, and airplane instrument ratings. He did not hold a rotorcraft rating. He had 3,200 total flight hours with 260 hours in the make and model of the accident helicopter. He stated that he received helicopter training in a Bell 47 and had received autorotation training and had practiced autorototions and sliding landings. The pilot reported that as a distributor for the experimental, amateur built helicopter, he typically flew the maintenance flights to track and balance the main rotor system of the new amateur-built helicopters.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 67, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Single
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 None
Last FAA Medical Exam: 05/04/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 3200 hours (Total, all aircraft), 260 hours (Total, this make and model), 20 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 10 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: SIBILA
Registration: N32KS
Model/Series: MH-1
Aircraft Category: Helicopter
Year of Manufacture: 2017
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental
Serial Number: MH12014-01
Landing Gear Type:Skid
Seats: 1
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 03/27/2018, Condition
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1180 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 8 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Yamaha
ELT: Not installed
Engine Model/Series: Genesis 120
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 120 hp
Operator:On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: CAK, 1225 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 18 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 0751 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 20°
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Visibility: 8 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 1300 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 7 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction: 40°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting: 30.16 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 18°C / 15°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Precipitation
Departure Point: Beach City, OH (2D7)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Beach City, OH (2D7)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 0900 EDT
Type of Airspace:
Airport Information
Airport: Beach City Airport (2D7)
Runway Surface Type:
Airport Elevation: 984 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 10
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 3175 ft / 115 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced Landing
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 40.646389, -81.555833
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Pilot did well to survive this one.
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