ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 298966
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| Date: | Wednesday 24 May 2000 |
| Time: | 07:20 LT |
| Type: | Southwest Florida Aviation SW204 |
| Owner/operator: | Colony Services, Inc. |
| Registration: | N37BA |
| MSN: | 1104 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1964 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4827 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming T53-L-11D |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | FORT PIERCE, Florida -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | FT. PIERCE , FL |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
According to the pilot, at 50 feet, agl and 35 mph over an orange grove, he felt a shudder and heard cracking noises from the rear of the helicopter. He tried to put the rotorcraft down between rows of trees, but lost all control during his landing attempt, started spinning, and rolled over. The tail rotor assembly was located 400 feet from the wreckage with one rotor blade tip weight missing. Factory examination revealed the cause of the separation of the tip weight was corrosion of the adhesive bond between the blade skin, the blade spar, and the tip weight. The blade's data plate was missing and the data plate recess was smoothed over. The blade part and serial number provided by the operator did not match factory assembly records, and the factory was encouraged by the FAA to file a 'Suspected Unapproved Parts' report.
Probable Cause: An in-flight separation of a tail rotor blade tip weight resulting in tail rotor assembly imbalance and separation due to the installation of an unapproved rotor blade by company maintenance personnel, and the subsequent collision with trees during an emergency landing.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB MIA00LA170
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 16-Oct-2022 00:53 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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