ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 343085
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| Date: | Tuesday 1 August 2023 |
| Time: | c. 15:30 |
| Type: |  Bell 407GX |
| Owner/operator: | Charleston County Sheriff’s Office |
| Registration: | N31PB |
| MSN: | 54321 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2012 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4617 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Charleston International Airport (CHS/KCHS), North Charleston, SC -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Sumter Municipal Airport, SC (SUM/KSMS) |
| Charleston International Airport, SC (CHS/KCHS) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
On August 1, 2023, about 1530 eastern daylight time, a Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407, N31PB, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near North Charleston, South Carolina. The commercial pilot and sustained minor injuries. The helicopter was operated as a Public aircraft.
The helicopter, operated by the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, was on a positioning flight from Sumter Airport (SMS), Sumter, South Carolina, to Charleston AFB International Airport (CHS), North Charleston, South Carolina. The pilot reported that after about 35 minutes of flight, the helicopter started to yaw slowly to the right. The pilot applied left pedal with no response. The pilot stated, “It felt as if the pedals were not attached.” The pilot contacted CHS tower and declared an emergency. He set up for a straight-in approach to runway 15. While crossing the runway threshold, about 20 ft above ground level (agl), the helicopter started to yaw to the right. He lowered the collective, but the helicopter continued to yaw right. He then reduced the throttle and attempted to maintain a level attitude. The helicopter struck the ground adjacent to the runway at a high rate of descent, coming to rest in the grass adjacent to runway 15. The tail rotor boom severed during the impact sequence.
Inspectors with the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. They confirmed substantial damage to the fuselage, main rotor system, and tail rotor system. They found one of the two bolts that secure the lever assemblies in the tail rotor control system was missing. The other bolt was in place but loose; the cotter pin for its attachment nut was missing. A further review of the maintenance records revealed that the bolts would have been removed and reinstalled during recent maintenance on June 28, 2023, about 15 flight hours prior to the accident.
The wreckage was retained for further examination.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/sheriffs-office-helicopter-crashes-near-charleston-airport-officials-say/45K2YXEHSRFXFLXSYA3OBYHGLA/
https://www.live5news.com/2023/08/01/charleston-co-sheriffs-office-helicopter-crashes-airport
https://www.foxnews.com/us/south-carolina-sheriffs-office-helicopter-crashes-charleston-international-airport-flights-grounded
https://abcnews4.com/news/local/ccso-chief-pilot-recovering-after-helicopter-crash-near-charleston-international-airport#
https://www.wyff4.com/article/video-released-helicopter-crash-near-charleston-international-airport-south-carolina/44737402 (video of accident sequence released by Charleston County Sheriff's Office)
NTSB
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=31PB
https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=a345bf&lat=33.116&lon=-80.345&zoom=9.3&showTrace=2023-08-01
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N31PB/history/20230801/1850Z
https://i0.wp.com/universallatinnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Screen-Shot-2018-03-20-at-11.43.34-PM.png?resize=1024%2C432&ssl=1 (photo)
Location
Media:
A pilot for the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office suffered injuries Tuesday afternoon when his helicopter crashed at the Charleston International Airport. https://t.co/8v14qdGWtG
— Fox Wilmington (@FoxWilmington) August 2, 2023
A helicopter from the Charleston County Sheriff's Office crashed near an airport in South Carolina. https://t.co/4O0Z7EGDfu
— KRNV (@KRNV) August 2, 2023
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 01-Aug-2023 21:18 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 01-Aug-2023 21:26 | harro | Updated |
| 01-Aug-2023 21:51 | RobertMB | Updated |
| 02-Aug-2023 06:45 | johnwg | Updated |
| 02-Aug-2023 16:37 | Aerossurance | Updated |
| 03-Aug-2023 18:51 | Captain Adam | Updated |
| 08-Aug-2023 06:04 | dclunie | Updated |
| 14-Aug-2023 20:28 | Captain Adam | Updated |
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