Boucher REVOLUTION MINI 500 N54VP

Summary

On 8 June 2002 at about 20:00 local time, a Boucher REVOLUTION MINI 500 registered N54VP was involved in an accident near Sterling, Massachusetts, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 June 2002 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Sterling, Massachusetts, United States

Nearest airport

Sterling Airport (3B3)

Coordinates

42.4250, -71.7911

Aircraft

Boucher REVOLUTION MINI 500

Registration

N54VP

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sterling → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC02LA099

Nobody was injured.

A misalignment of the rotor system drive belt, which resulted in belt chaffing, its subsequent separation, and a resultant loss of power to the rotor system. Also causal was the relatively low altitude and airspeed at which the separation occurred, which inhibited the pilot's inability to maintain a level attitude during the autorotation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot hover-taxied the helicopter from its tiedown spot to a grassy area for takeoff. Upon reaching the grassy area, he initiated a takeoff, and the helicopter accelerated through effective translational lift and began to climb. About 30 feet and 25 mph, the rotor system drive belt broke. The helicopter yawed to the left, and the pilot immediately lowered the collective and applied right rudder to correct the yaw. The helicopter impacted the ground "straight ahead but tail down." The main rotor deflected downward, and a rotor blade stuck the tail boom. The helicopter's right skid collapsed, and the helicopter rolled over on its right side and caught on fire. A section of drive belt, about 46 inches in length, had "broomstraw" separations at both ends. On the toothed side of the belt, there were about 15 areas along one edge that were worn down or missing. Another section of belt, about 40 inches in length, also had broomstaw separations at both ends, although one end had considerably less. The belt was missing material its entire length, with the missing material varying between 1/2 to 3/4 the width of the belt.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.