Auburn Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Auburn, Washington 98003
Sunday, August 22, 1993 17:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT, THE PILOT HEARD A SERIES OF POPS AND THE WARNING LIGHTS FOR THE OIL PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE ILLUMINATED. THE PILOT INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION TO AN OPEN FIELD. DURING THE LANDING MANEUVER, THE TAIL ROTOR WAS SEPARATED. AN ENGINE INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER 4 CONNECTING ROD SHANK WAS BROKEN INTO THREE PIECES. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE CONNECTING ROD ASSEMBLY REVEALED THAT THE CONNECTING ROD BOLT DISPLAYED A FRACTURE TYPICAL OF A TENSILE OVERSTRESS SEPARATION. THE OTHER CONNECTING ROD BOLT WAS NOT LOCATED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE CONNECTING ROD BOLT. THE HIGH VEGETATION WAS A FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/22/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City AUBURN
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98003
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 AUBURN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID S50
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 180
Airport Elevation 57
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1700
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 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1509
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 22 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1715
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 N9785C
NTSB Number SEA93LA181
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 HILLER
Aircraft Model UH-12E
Aircraft Series Identifier UH-12E
Aircraft Serial Number 2269
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 Jul 18 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 58
Airframe Hours 7181
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MAYSE INTERNATIONAL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3529 FRANCES DR SE
Aircraft Owner City OLYMPIA
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98503
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MAYSE INTERNATIONAL
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3529 FRANCES DR. SE
Operator City OLYMPIA
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98503
Operator Code
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 22 2001 3:51PM
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 --