Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Middle River, Minnesota 56737
Friday, April 23, 1993 19:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A SLIGHT MISS IN THE ENGINE PRIOR TO A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. TRYING TO AVOID POWERLINES IN FRONT OF HIM, THE PILOT TURNED THE AIRCRAFT 180 DEGREES INTO THE WIND, BUT WASN'T ABLE TO PICK UP ENOUGH SPEED FOR A GOOD AUTO-ROTATION AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. FURTHER INVESTIGATION FOUND THE IGNITION VIBRATOR, PART NUMBER 10-382780-12, WAS INOPERATIVE, CAUSING THE ENGINE FAILURE. A MECHANIC FILED AND ADJUSTED THE POINTS IN THE VIBRATOR, AND WAS THEN ABLE TO OBTAIN AND PROVIDE SPARK TO THE SPARKPLUGS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE TOTAL FAILURE OF THE IGNITION SYSTEM'S MAGNETO.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/23/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1945
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MIDDLE RIVER
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56737
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 4
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 13
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 436
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 23 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 52718
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N81HF
NTSB Number CHI93LA147
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 F28F
Aircraft Series Identifier F28F
Aircraft Serial Number 513
Certified Max Gross Weight 2600
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 24 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHAPLINSKI, CHARLES A.
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 1, BOX 19
Aircraft Owner City MIDDLE RIVER
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 56737
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CHAPLINSKI, CHARLES A.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address ROUTE 1, BOX 19
Operator City MIDDLE RIVER
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 56737
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1915
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --