Schweizer 300C N643KC
28 July 1995 · Kansas City, Missouri, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 28 July 1995 at about 04:50 local time, a Schweizer 300C registered N643KC was involved in an accident near Kansas City, Missouri, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 04:50
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Kansas City, Missouri, United States
- Nearest airport
- Kansas City Downtown (MKC)
- Coordinates
- 39.1009, -94.5692
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 300C
- Registration
- N643KC
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Public Use
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- CHI95TA243
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
ground resonance as a result of improper servicing of the main landing gear dampers.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot reported that he made a normal, smooth landing. He said the helicopter had been on the ground about 5 to 6 seconds and that he had reduced the engine rpm back between 2700 and 2800 RPM's, when he noticed a vibration in the helicopter. The pilot said he rolled in the throttle to 3100 rpm and attempted to get the helicopter into a hover. He reported that the vibrations were severe, and about one second later, the left skid collapsed and the main rotor contacted the tailboom. He secured and evacuated the helicopter after all motion had stopped. Tests revealed that the charge pressure for all four landing gear dampers was lower than that specified by the maintenance instructions. The maintenance instructions warned that improper shock strut pressure levels may result in ground resonance and destruction of the helicopter. Examination of the main rotor head dampers revealed no evidence of preexisting cracks or fatigue.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Schweizer 300 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Apr 1995 | Schweizer 300C | Lithopolis, Ohio, United States | City of Columbus | Unknown | - |
| 9 May 1994 | Schweizer 300C | Randleman, North Carolina, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 25 Feb 1994 | Schweizer 300C | Pacific Ocean | Fong Seong Fisheries | No injuries | - |
| 10 Apr 1994 | Schweizer 300C | Pacific Ocean | Fong Seong Fishing Group | No injuries | - |
| 7 Jul 1990 | Schweizer 300C | San Jose, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 26 Mar 2000 | Schweizer 300C | New Ulm, Texas, United States | Skylane Helicopters, LLC. | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Feb 1995 | Cessna 150 | Washington, Missouri, United States | Phoenix Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 27 Feb 1995 | Bell 206L | Maryland Hts, Missouri, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 11 Mar 1995 | Cessna 182A | Bowling Green, Missouri, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 19 Dec 1995 | Douglas DC-9-32 | Saint Louis, Missouri, United States | Trans World Airlines, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 2 Apr 1995 | Bellanca 7ECA | Higginsville, Missouri, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 8 Apr 1995 | Piper PA-32-260 | St. Clair, Missouri, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |