Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Baltimore, Maryland 21218
Thursday, July 17, 1997 23:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The police pilot was flying the helicopter in a right-hand orbit approximately 500 feet. The pilot heard a loud 'clunk' and experienced an immediate loss of engine power. He entered an autorotation over an urban area, and the helicopter struck a tree and collided with terrain during the descent. Examination of the wreckage revealed the #4 connecting rod protruding from the engine case. The connecting rod bolts were stretched beyond the manufacturer's limits, and valve tappets with incorrect part numbers were installed. The engine records revealed the engine had been overhauled by T.W.Smith Engine Company Inc. approximately 500 flight hours prior to the accident flight. The overhaul records reflected maintenance and inspections performed on components not installed on the accident engine and on parts designated to be discarded and replaced. Examination of the fractured #4 connecting rod revealed '...crack arrest positions and ratchet marks, indicative of fatigue crack progression...' and galling spots on the fatigue origin areas.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A total loss of engine power which was a result of incomplete and improper engine overhaul by company maintenance personnel. A factor in the accident was the unsuitable forced landing area terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/17/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 2330 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | BALTIMORE |
| Event State | MARYLAND |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 21218 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| 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 | 2254 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BWI |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 146 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 14000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 9 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 230 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1558 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 18 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 100 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:25PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6129Q |
| NTSB Number | NYC97GA148 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Schweizer |
| Aircraft Model | 269C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 269C |
| Aircraft Serial Number | S1629 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2400 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 15 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 8 |
| Airframe Hours | 3471 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | HELICOPTER TRANSPORT SERVICES |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 701 WILSON POINT ROAD |
| Aircraft Owner City | BALTIMORE |
| Aircraft Owner State | MD |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 21220 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | BALTIMORE POLICE DEPARTMENT |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | MARTIN STATE AIRPORT |
| Operator City | BALTIMORE |
| Operator State | MD |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 21220 |
| 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) | Public Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | MTN |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | MD |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 2215 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency landing |
| 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 | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |