Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Stewartsville, New Jersey 08886
Tuesady, August 16, 1994 18:28 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT OVER ROUGH UNEVEN TERRAIN, THE HELICOPTER'S ENGINE LOST PARTIAL POWER AND THE PILOT MADE AN AUTOROTATION LANDING IN A CORN FIELD. THE PILOT STATED THAT DUE TO UNEVEN TERRAIN, HE '...MADE [THE] DECISION TO ZERO OUT AIRSPEED DURING TOUCHDOWN.' THE PILOT STATED HE LEVELED THE HELICOPTER AND '...PULLED COLLECTIVE TO CUSHION.' DURING THE LANDING A MAIN ROTOR BLADE SEPARATED THE TAIL BOOM FROM THE FUSELAGE. EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASON.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/16/1994
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1828
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City STEWARTSVILLE
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 08886
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1752 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ABE
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 22000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1460
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 16 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:57AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N13CM
NTSB Number BFO94LA137
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ENSTROM
Aircraft Model F-28A
Aircraft Series Identifier F-28A
Aircraft Serial Number 090
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Aug 15 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 1464
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name INNOVATIVE AIR HELICOPTER INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4305 RICHMOND ROAD
Aircraft Owner City EASTON
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 18040
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City WARREN COUNTY
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1805
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State NJ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --