Eurocopter Deutschland EC135P1 N911KB

Summary

On 9 November 2013 at about 18:45 local time, a Eurocopter Deutschland EC135P1 registered N911KB, operated by Metro Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Shreveport, Louisiana, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 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

9 November 2013 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Shreveport, Louisiana, United States

Coordinates

32.5129, -93.7575

Aircraft

Eurocopter Deutschland EC135P1

Registration

N911KB

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1997

Engines

1

Operator

Metro Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Shreveport → Shreveport

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN14LA048

3 people had minor injuries.

The mechanic's improper installation of the antitorque pedals, which resulted in an in-flight loss of helicopter control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter departed on a local maintenance test flight to perform a hover test. The pilot flew the helicopter toward a nearby field to perform the test and then heard a "pop," and the helicopter subsequently began to spin. The pilot attempted to regain control of the helicopter using the antitorque pedals, but they were ineffective. The pilot reduced engine power and performed an autorotation to the field. The helicopter landed hard and rolled on its right side. Examination of the wreckage found that the antitorque pedals had separated from the antitorque levers. The attachment hardware was not located in the wreckage or the surrounding area. Neither the antitorque pedals nor the lever attachment holes displayed elongation, which is consistent with the hardware bolts not being in place at the time of impact. A review of maintenance logbooks revealed that a mechanic had conducted maintenance on the antitorque pedals 9 days before the accident flight. After the accident, a parts bag containing bolts similar to the bolts needed to secure the antitorque pedals was found in the maintenance facility where the maintenance was performed. Based on the evidence, it is likely that the mechanic reinstalled the antitorque pedals without the required attachment hardware, which allowed the antitorque pedals to separate from the antitorque levers during flight and led to the loss of helicopter control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.