Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Seattle, Washington 98108
Wednesday, August 18, 1993 10:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE EN ROUTE AT ABOUT 800 FEET AGL, THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT MADE AN AUTOROTATION TO A CONFINED GRASSY AREA, BUT JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN HAD TO MANEUVER TO AVOID A PERSON IN THE AREA OF DESIRED LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN, BOUNCED, AND THEN EXPERIENCED A SKID COLLAPSE WHEN IT TOUCHED DOWN A SECOND TIME. AN INSPECTION OF ENGINE COMPONENTS SHOWED THAT ONE MAGNETO CONDENSER WAS SHORTING-OUT BY ARCING OVER ITS INSULATOR BASE, AND THE SECOND CONDENSER WAS SHORTING-OUT WHERE THE LEAD WIRE WAS EXPOSED THROUGH ITS INSULATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

SHORTED MAGNETO CONDENSERS. FACTORS INCLUDE A HIDDEN OBSTRUCTION IN THE LANDING AREA, AND A REDUCTION IN ROTOR RPM FROM ATTEMPTING TO AVOID THE OBSTRUCTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/18/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SEATTLE
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98108
Event Date Year 1993
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 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 Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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) 1485
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 18 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1003
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:35PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N86198
NTSB Number SEA93FA178
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-28C
Aircraft Series Identifier F-28C
Aircraft Serial Number 521-2
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 30 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 94
Airframe Hours 3144
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PUGET SOUND HELICOPTERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8538 PERIMETER RD.
Aircraft Owner City SEATTLE
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98108
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 EBHA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 955
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City BELLEVUE
Destination State WA
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 No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --