Sikorsky 269C N888ZW

Summary

On 3 July 2013 at about 20:48 local time, a Sikorsky 269C registered N888ZW, operated by Point of View Helicopter Services LLC, was involved in an accident near Burnham, Maine, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 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.

Date

3 July 2013 at 20:48

Classification

Accident

Location

Burnham, Maine, United States

Coordinates

44.6728, -69.4081

Aircraft

Sikorsky 269C

Registration

N888ZW

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Point of View Helicopter Services LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Waterville → Waterville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA13LA314

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain yaw control while operating out of ground effect at a low airspeed, which resulted in the loss of tail rotor effectiveness, an uncontrolled descent, and an in-flight collision with trees and terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to recognize that the low-altitude maneuvering during the aerial observation flight could lead to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

**This report was modified on February 23, 2015. Please see the public docket for this accident to view the original report.** The pilot reported that, during a black bear-tracking flight while flying the helicopter about 50 feet above tree tops at an airspeed of between 10 and 20 knots with a "fairly calm" wind and the engine instruments reading normal, he began a "fading right turn" (that is, a right turn with a sideways component of flight leading into it.) During the turn, the pilot input a "modicum" of left antitorque pedal while slowing. About 2 seconds after initiating the right turn and while the helicopter was about 30 to 40 feet above the trees, the turn escalated into a right (or clockwise) spin about the main rotor axis despite the pilot's left pedal inputs, which is consistent with a sudden loss of tail rotor authority. The helicopter subsequently impacted trees and terrain. The passenger, who had only been flown once previously in a helicopter, reported that the helicopter spun counterclockwise. Postaccident examinations of the airframe, flight controls, main and tail rotor drive system components, engine, and engine accessories revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. Although the pilot and passenger descriptions of the direction of the spin were inconsistent, the lack of any mechanical issue with the helicopter or its engine, the pilot's comment that the engine readings were normal at the start of the turn, and the helicopter's flight condition when the loss of control occurred (operating out of ground effect and turning right at a low airspeed) were consistent with a loss of tail rotor effectiveness during the right turn, resulting in a right (clockwise) spin.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.