Liberty Landing Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Missouri City, Missouri 64068
Thursday, June 25, 1992 7:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER WAS PERFORMING TEST FLIGHTS USING VARIOUS FLIGHT ATTITUDES TO CHANGE AIRFLOW PATTERNS THROUGH THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS TOO FAST AND TOO LOW TO COMPLETE A SMOOTH LANDING. DURING TOUCHDOWN THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE BORE DIAMETER ON THE CONNECTING ROD WAS INCORRECT WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE CRANKSHAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN IMPROPER CONNECTING ROD ASSEMBLY RESULTING IN MECHANICAL BINDING BETWEEN THE ROD AND THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/25/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 700
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MISSOURI CITY
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 64068
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LIBERTY LANDING
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
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 Day
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2769
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 7 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47554
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:58PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N500ZZ
NTSB Number CHI92DCG04
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 DENNIS L. FETTERS
Aircraft Model MINI 500
Aircraft Series Identifier MINI 500
Aircraft Serial Number 0000
Certified Max Gross Weight 812
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DENNIS L. FETTERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1240 MISSOURI CT. APT 415
Aircraft Owner City LIBERTY
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 64068
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DENNIS L. FETTERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1240 MISSOURI CT. APT 415
Operator City LIBERTY
Operator State MO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 64068
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) 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 Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --