Bell OH 58C N942SC

Summary

On 29 January 2018 at about 22:25 local time, a Bell OH 58C registered N942SC, operated by Spalding County Sheriffs Office, was involved in an accident near Zebulon, Georgia, 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

29 January 2018 at 22:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Zebulon, Georgia, United States

Coordinates

33.1344, -84.3211

Aircraft

Bell OH 58C

Registration

N942SC

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1968

Engines

1

Operator

Spalding County Sheriffs Office

Operating rule

Public Use

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Griffin → Griffin

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA18LA075

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to fully open the throttle before initiating the power recovery in response to a simulated engine failure.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor was providing training to a student pilot during a local public flight. According to the flight instructor, during the fifth simulated engine failure of the flight, the helicopter throttle was advanced for the power recovery. The engine then accelerated, and the engine and rotor tachometer needles were in their normal operating range. At that time, the flight instructor initiated a climb. About 4 to 5 seconds into the climb, when the speed was about 25 knots and the helicopter was at an altitude of 125 ft above ground level, the engine lost power. The instructor made a forced landing into a field, which resulted in substantial damage to the tailboom. Postaccident examination of the helicopter showed proper throttle continuity and rigging as well as fuel system continuity. The engine was placed in a test cell, and the engine started immediately, accelerated smoothly, and ran continuously throughout the test protocol prescribed by the manufacturer. All measured performance parameters were within the manufacturer's acceptable range, which demonstrated that the engine, fuel control, and governor functioned as designed. The available evidence indicated that the throttle was likely not fully opened at the initiation of the power recovery and that, when collective pitch was applied, the fuel control (while governed) could not provide the fuel required to sustain the climb. A decay of engine and rotor rpm resulted, which likely led to the instructor's perception that the engine had failed and his subsequent decision to make a forced landing. The altitude and time available at the point of the perceived failure was likely inadequate to overcome the time requirements for throttle inputs and turbine lag.  

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.