|
Location:
|
Palm Beach, Florida
|
Accident Number:
|
ERA22LA231
|
|
Date & Time:
|
May 19, 2022, 12:10 Local
|
Registration:
|
N448JM
|
|
Aircraft:
|
Eurocopter AS355
|
Aircraft Damage:
|
Substantial
|
|
Defining Event:
|
Part(s) separation from AC
|
Injuries:
|
1 None
|
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
Analysis
The pilot picked up the helicopter from a repair facility and while flying home heard a “boom,” felt a vibration in the tail, and performed a precautionary landing to a beach. Postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed that the engine cowling had become unlatched and was subsequently struck by a main rotor blade. The detached cowling then struck the horizontal stabilizer and tail rotor, which resulted in substantial damage. The pilot reported that he did not confirm that the engine cowling latch was properly secured during his preflight inspection. He reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the helicopter before the cowling opened and detached.
Probable Cause and Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in the unlatched engine cowling opening and being struck by a main rotor blade during flight. Contributing to the accident was the mechanic’s failure to properly secure the cowling following maintenance.
Findings
|
Personnel issues - Post maintenance inspection - Pilot
Personnel issues - Preflight inspection - Pilot
Aircraft Personnel issues - Service doors - Inadequate inspection
Personnel issues - (general) - Maintenance personnel
Personnel issues - Post maintenance inspection - Maintenance personnel
|
Factual Information
History of Flight
Prior to flight - Aircraft inspection event
Enroute - Part(s) separation from AC (Defining event)
|
Pilot Information
|
Certificate:
|
Private
|
Age:
|
48,Male
|
|
Airplane Rating(s):
|
Single-engine land; Multi-engine land
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Seat Occupied:
|
Right
|
|
Other Aircraft Rating(s):
|
Helicopter
|
Restraint Used:
|
4-point
|
|
Instrument Rating(s):
|
Airplane
|
Second Pilot Present:
|
No
|
|
Instructor Rating(s):
|
None
|
Toxicology Performed:
|
|
|
Medical Certification:
|
Class 2 Without waivers/limitations
|
Last FAA Medical Exam:
|
August 18, 2021
|
|
Occupational Pilot:
|
No
|
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
|
February 1, 2022
|
|
Flight Time:
|
2707 hours (Total, all aircraft), 212 hours (Total, this make and model), 2292 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 90 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 42 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 2 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)
|
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
|
Aircraft Make:
|
Eurocopter
|
Registration:
|
N448JM
|
|
Model/Series:
|
AS355 N
|
Aircraft Category:
|
Helicopter
|
|
Year of Manufacture:
|
1997
|
Amateur Built:
|
|
|
Airworthiness Certificate:
|
Normal
|
Serial Number:
|
5627
|
|
Landing Gear Type:
|
Skid
|
Seats:
|
6
|
|
Date/Type of Last Inspection:
|
May 19, 2022 Unknown
|
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
|
5732 lbs
|
|
Time Since Last Inspection:
|
|
Engines:
|
2 Turbo shaft
|
|
Airframe Total Time:
|
3547.2 Hrs as of last inspection
|
Engine Manufacturer:
|
Eurocopter
|
|
ELT:
|
Installed
|
Engine Model/Series:
|
Turbomeca Arrius 1A
|
|
Registered Owner:
|
|
Rated Power:
|
479 Horsepower
|
|
Operator:
|
On file
|
Operating Certificate(s) Held:
|
None
|
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
|
Conditions at Accident Site:
|
Visual (VMC)
|
Condition of Light:
|
Day
|
|
Observation Facility, Elevation:
|
BCT,13 ft msl
|
Distance from Accident Site:
|
5 Nautical Miles
|
|
Observation Time:
|
11:53 Local
|
Direction from Accident Site:
|
212°
|
|
Lowest Cloud Condition:
|
Scattered / 5000 ft AGL
|
Visibility
|
10 miles
|
|
Lowest Ceiling:
|
Visibility (RVR):
|
|
|
Wind Speed/Gusts:
|
6 knots /
|
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
|
Unknown / Unknown
|
|
Wind Direction:
|
120°
|
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
|
N/A / N/A
|
|
Altimeter Setting:
|
30.03 inches Hg
|
Temperature/Dew Point:
|
32°C / 23°C
|
|
Precipitation and Obscuration:
|
No Obscuration; No Precipitation
|
|
|
Departure Point:
|
West Palm Beach, FL (PBI)
|
Type of Flight Plan Filed:
|
None
|
|
Destination:
|
North Perry, FL (HWO)
|
Type of Clearance:
|
None
|
|
Departure Time:
|
12:00 Local
|
Type of Airspace:
|
Class G
|
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:
|
26.448361,-80.058922
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Administrative Information
|
Investigator In Charge (IIC):
|
Spencer, Lynn
|
|
|
Additional Participating Persons:
|
Rick Beckstrom; FAA; Miramar, FL
|
|
|
Original Publish Date:
|
July 20, 2022 Investigation Class:
|
4
|
|
Note:
|
The NTSB did not travel to the scene of this accident.
|
|
|
Investigation Docket:
|
https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105102
|
|
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