Plane Crash List

Bennett M-500A N105WB

20 April 1998 · Lakeland, Florida, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 20 April 1998 at about 16:30 local time, a Bennett M-500A registered N105WB, operated by Edward J. Malanowski, was involved in an accident near Lakeland, Florida, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 16:30
Classification
Accident
Location
Lakeland, Florida, United States
Nearest airport
Lakeland-Linder Regional (LAL)
Coordinates
27.9800, -82.0104
Aircraft
Bennett M-500A
Registration
N105WB
Category
Helicopter
Engines
1
Operator
Edward J. Malanowski
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
MIA98LA137

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

a hex nut on the cyclic flight control pushrod bolt had backed off for undetermined reason(s) and allowed the bolt to become disconnected from the control yoke teeter block, resulting in a loss of cyclic control and subsequent roll over during an emergency landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated he was on base turn to final for a fly bye, when he experienced a 1 to 1 vertical vibration. He informed the tower that he was going to land, and started a deceleration. The helicopter veered to the right, and the pilot applied left antitorque pedal. The nose started to tuck down, then the helicopter collided with the ground and rolled over on its right side. Examination of the helicopter flight control system revealed a hex nut backed off the cyclic flight control push rod bolt, and the bolt became disconnected from the control yoke teeter block. This resulted in a loss of cyclic control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

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All 170,864 records in United States