Helio H 295 N6464V

Summary

On 16 September 2016 at about 16:20 local time, a Helio H 295 registered N6464V, operated by Wright Air Service, was involved in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, United States. 2 people were 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.

Date

16 September 2016 at 16:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

65.4700, -147.3383

Aircraft

Helio H 295

Registration

N6464V

Category

Airplane

Year built

1969

Engines

1

Operator

Wright Air Service

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fairbanks → Fairbanks

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC16LA067

Nobody was injured.

Excessive side loads imposed on the tailwheel A-frame during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a separation of the tailwheel and the subsequent loss of directional control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airline transport pilot was departing from a remote unimproved airstrip. He stated that, as he initiated the takeoff, everything seemed normal. About 300 ft into the takeoff roll, the airplane veered sharply left, exited the airstrip, and impacted brush and trees, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and left horizontal stabilator. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the tailwheel had separated from its attachment point and folded underneath the empennage. Visual and magnified optical examinations revealed deformation and fracture patterns consistent with an overstress failure. Although fatigue cracks were observed in the fractured left arm of the tailwheel A-frame, they were relatively small and would not likely have caused a failure without abnormal loading. Additionally, the fractures in the left arm initiated not only at the fatigue cracks but also at locations away from the fatigue cracks, consistent with an overstress fracture. It is likely that the tailwheel A-frame fractured due to excessive side loads on the frame, which led to the tailwheel separating and the subsequent loss of control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.