Saturday, May 29, 2021

Taylorcraft BC12-65, N95846: Incident occurred May 25, 2021 in Anchorage, Alaska

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Anchorage, Alaska

Aircraft ground looped on landing.  


Date: 25-MAY-21
Time: 01:45:00Z
Regis#: N95846
Aircraft Make: TAYLORCRAFT
Aircraft Model: BC12-65
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: ANCHORAGE
State: ALASKA

Beech S35 Bonanza, N335N: Incident occurred May 25, 2021 at Camarillo Airport (KCMA), Ventura County, California

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Van Nuys, California

Aircraft landed and gear collapsed. 


Date: 25-MAY-21
Time: 20:43:00Z
Regis#: N335N
Aircraft Make: BEECH
Aircraft Model: 95-C55
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: CAMARILLO
State: CALIFORNIA

Sonex, N706SX: Incident occurred May 25, 2021 in Weirsdale, Marion County, Florida

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Orlando, Florida

Aircraft experienced a flat tire and veered off runway damaging nose gear. 


Date: 25-MAY-21
Time: 12:30:00Z
Regis#: N706SX
Aircraft Make: SONEX
Aircraft Model: SONEX
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: WEIRSDALE
State: FLORIDA

Sikorsky UH-60A Blackhawk, N9FH: Fatal accident occurred May 25, 2021 near Leesburg International Airport (KLEE), Lake County, Florida

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.

Additional Participating Entities: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Orlando, Florida
Sikorsky; Jupiter, Florida

Brainerd Helicopters Inc


Location: Leesburg, FL
Accident Number: ERA21FA233
Date & Time: May 25, 2021, 17:47 Local 
Registration: N9FH
Aircraft: BHI H60 HELICOPTERS LLC UH-60A
Injuries: 4 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Flight test
  
On May 25, 2021, about 1747 eastern daylight time, a BHI H60 Helicopters LLC, UH-60A, N9FH, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Leesburg International Airport (LEE), Leesburg, Florida. The pilot, copilot, and two crew members were fatally injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 post-maintenance test flight.
  
  According to the operator, a new water tank and snorkel were installed on the helicopter to facilitate firefighting operations in accordance with supplemental type certificate (STC) #SR00933DE on May 17, 2021. Several days of ground testing and calibration were performed before the accident flight, which was the first flight after the STC was installed.
  
Witnesses reported that the helicopter made six uneventful passes in front of the operator’s hangar at LEE and dropped water that was picked up from a lake adjacent to the airport. On the seventh pass, an employee of the operator noticed the snorkel swinging. He called the LEE air traffic control tower on the phone and told the controller to ask the pilot of the helicopter to slow down and land immediately. Before the controller could contact the pilot, the helicopter transitioned to forward flight, gaining altitude and airspeed. The employee noticed the snorkel “violently” swinging and he then heard a loud bang, which he believed was the result of the snorkel contacting the main rotor blades or tailboom. He then saw pieces, and then the tail section separating from the helicopter. The helicopter started to spin and fell below the tree line. He heard a loud explosion and saw smoke rise above the tree line.
  
According to another witness who worked for the operator, she missed the helicopter’s first pass but watched the remaining six passes. She noted that the water being dropped from the tank was “very dirty.” On the helicopter’s last pass, while it was coming in and slowing down, she noticed the snorkel swing in a large circle and at one point, the snorkel end came very close to the main rotor blades. She immediately started waving her arms at the pilot to try and get his attention, but he did not see her. As the pilot transitioned to forward flight, she ran beside the helicopter and continued to wave her arms. Shortly after the helicopter climbed and gained airspeed, she heard a loud bang and saw multiple main rotor blades separate and hit the tail section. She then saw the tail section fall to the ground and the helicopter enter a flat spin. 

The helicopter was located in heavily wooded, swampy terrain about 1322 ft east of runway 3. The helicopter came to rest slightly inverted on its left side on a heading of 040° magnetic. The tail rotor section was found about 78 ft north of the main wreckage. One half of a rotor blade was found about 600 ft south of the main wreckage and one half of another rotor blade was found about 200 ft west of runway 3. Parts of the newly installed water tank and snorkel assembly were found on the west side edge of runway 3. The water pump housing, which was installed near the snorkel inlet was heavily fragmented. The stainless-steel snorkel suction cage was located about 50 ft west of runway 3 and collocated with a section of main rotor blade. There were several pieces of fairings and lightweight
material lodged in the top of trees along the flight path from the edge of the tree line to the main wreckage.
  
The landing gear, main rotor system, main rotor drive system, engine, hydraulic system, and the forward portion of the tail rotor drive system were thermally damaged by the postcrash fire. The majority of the cockpit, cabin, and flight controls were consumed by the postcrash fire.
  
The wreckage was recovered and retained for further examination.
  
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
  
Aircraft Make: BHI H60 HELICOPTERS LLC 
Registration: N9FH
Model/Series: UH-60A
Aircraft Category: Helicopter
Amateur Built: No
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held: Rotorcraft external load (133), On-demand air taxi (135)
Operator Designator Code:
  
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
  
Conditions at Accident Site: VMC 
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: LEE,75 ft msl 
Observation Time: 17:53 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 32°C /16°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 8 knots / , 170°
Lowest Ceiling: None 
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.15 inches Hg 
Type of Flight Plan Filed: Company VFR
Departure Point: Leesburg, FL
Destination: Leesburg, FL 

Wreckage and Impact Information
  
Crew Injuries: 2 Fatal 
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 2 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: On-ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: On-ground
Total Injuries: 4 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 28.817965,-81.80863 (est)
    
Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board investigation may contact them by email eyewitnessreport@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov. 

Mitsubishi MU-2B-25, N99SR: Accident occurred May 25, 2021 at Augusta Regional Airport (KAGS), Richmond County, Georgia

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Atlanta, Georgia

Aircraft nose gear collapsed on landing. 


Date: 25-MAY-21
Time: 15:46:00Z
Regis#: N99SR
Aircraft Make: MITSUBISHI
Aircraft Model: MU-2B
Event Type: ACCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: SUBSTANTIAL
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: AUGUSTA
State: GEORGIA

Cessna 162 Skycatcher, N162TW: Accident occurred May 25, 2021 at Indianapolis Metro Airport (KUMP), Fishers, Hamilton County, Indiana

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.

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

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Indianapolis, Indiana 
 
Tom Wood Aviation Inc


Location: Indianapolis, IN
Accident Number: CEN21LA246
Date & Time: May 25, 2021, 18:50 Local
Registration: N162TW
Aircraft: CESSNA AIRCRAFT CO 162 
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Instructional

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: CESSNA AIRCRAFT CO 
Registration: N162TW
Model/Series: 162 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: VMC 
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KTYQ,922 ft msl 
Observation Time: 18:55 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 11 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 28°C /16°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 6000 ft AGL
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 10 knots / , 190°
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 7500 ft AGL
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.04 inches Hg 
Type of Flight Plan Filed:
Departure Point: Indianapolis, IN
Destination: Indianapolis, IN

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 39.935823,-86.045447

Piper PA-28-161, N289MK: Incident occurred May 25, 2021 at Joe Foss Field Airport (KFSD), Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Rapid City, South Dakota

Aircraft veered off runway into the grass during departure. 

North Star Aviation Inc


Date: 25-MAY-21
Time: 18:01:00Z
Regis#: N289MK
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA28
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: INSTRUCTION
Flight Phase: TAKEOFF (TOF)
Operation: 91
City: SIOUX FALLS
State: SOUTH DAKOTA