Helio JERGINS H 800 N666X

Summary

On 26 February 1999 at about 18:57 local time, a Helio JERGINS H 800 registered N666X was involved in an accident near Prescott, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 February 1999 at 18:57

Classification

Accident

Location

Prescott, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Prescott (PRC)

Coordinates

34.6198, -112.4193

Aircraft

Helio JERGINS H 800

Registration

N666X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX99LA110

Nobody was injured.

The malfunction of the propeller for undetermined reasons at an altitude too low for the pilot to take effective remedial action.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane sustained a hard landing after the propeller went into an uncommanded reverse pitch range on final approach. This was the first flight with this engine installed. After several successful normal approaches and landings flown at 70 knots, the pilot decided to make a more aggressive STOL (short takeoff and landing) approach. This would require him to fly about 60 knots and required more precise power control. Shortly after turning from the base leg to final, the propeller went uncommanded into the beta (reverse pitch) range. At an altitude of 150 feet he didn't think he could lower the nose and attain the 70-knot airspeed he needed to flare normally. He elected to maintain his three-point attitude and tried to slightly increase power to get the propeller to come out of beta. Normally, beta is obtained by depressing a thumb lever that lifts a pin, allowing the control lever to be moved into the beta range. He detected no response so he continued to slowly advance the power. The airplane touched down at approximately 1,000-feet-per-minute rate of descent. The Federal Aviation Administration accident coordinator examined the airplane, engine, and documentation. The proper technical manuals were available and the installation appeared to comply with the manuals. He did not observe any mechanical damage to the controls or linkages that controlled the propeller. All linkages and jam nuts were secured and the linkages appeared to be properly adjusted.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.