Aurora Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Aurora, Illinois 60505
Saturday, August 1, 1992 10:58 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT FELT A YAW, LOSS OF POWER AND DECREASE IN ROTOR RPM DURING CRUISE. HE TURNED TOWARD HOMEFIELD AND BEGAN A DESCENT. ENROUTE, THE ENGINE LOST POWER COMPLETELY, AND HE LANDED HARD IN AN OPEN FIELD. ENGINE EXAMINATION REVEALED THE CRANKSHAFT SEPARATED AT A FATIGUE FRACTURE THROUGH THE NUMBER FOUR ROD JOURNAL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FATIGUE FRACTURE OF THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S EXCESSIVE DESCENT AND HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/1/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1058
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City AURORA
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60505
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport AURORA MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ARR
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 4
Degrees magnetic from airport 90
Airport Elevation 707
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1045 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID ARR
Elevation of weather observation facility 707
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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) 2878
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 1 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1457
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47722
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N58335
NTSB Number CHI92LA222
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 HUGHES
Aircraft Model 269C
Aircraft Series Identifier 269C
Aircraft Serial Number 390762
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 22 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 2805
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GREAT LAKES HELICOPTER SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address AURORA AIRPORT, RR 1, BOX 433V
Aircraft Owner City SUGAR GROVE
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60554
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GREAT LAKES HELICOPTER SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address AURORA AIRPORT, RR 1, BOX 433V
Operator City SUGAR GROVE
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60554
Operator Code RJNA
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ARR
Departure City SUGAR GROVE
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1050
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code ARR
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 10:35AM
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 --