Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Watkins Glen, New York 14891
Thursday, July 2, 1992 11:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A CERTIFICATION TEST FLIGHT INVOLVING A SERIES OF DESCENTS AT LOW ROTOR RPM AND LOW AIRSPEEDS, THE ENGINE OF THE PROTOTYPE HELICOPTER LOST POWER. AN AUTOROTATION WAS INITIATED AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A TAIL LOW CONDITION, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE TAIL ROTOR AND MAIN ROTOR. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AT A HIGH GROSS WEIGHT AND AFT CENTER OF GRAVITY TO MEET CERTIFICATION CRITERIA. THE RIGGING BETWEEN THE THROTTLE AND FUEL CONTROL UNIT WAS EXAMINED AND FOUND TO BE IMPROPERLY SET, CAUSING THE PREVENTION OF CONTINUOUS ENGINE POWER THROUGHOUT THE FLIGHT TEST PROFILE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL STARVATION AS A RESULT OF IMPROPER RIGGING OF THE FUEL CONTROL UNIT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/2/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WATKINS GLEN
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 14891
Event Date Year 1992
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 350
Weather Observation Facility ID ELM
Elevation of weather observation facility 155
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 11000
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2837
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 2 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1315
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47657
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N330TT
NTSB Number BFO92LA085
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 SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model 269D
Aircraft Series Identifier 269D
Aircraft Serial Number 51246T
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 4
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 95
Airframe Hours 1189
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SCHWEITZER AIRCRAFT CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 147
Aircraft Owner City ELMIRA
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 14902
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SCHWEITZER AIRCRAFT CORP.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 147
Operator City ELMIRA
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 14902
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 No
Departure Airport Code ELM
Departure City ELMIRA
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1120
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Hover
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 --