Allegheny County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

West Mifflin, Pennsylvania 15122
Wednesday, August 12, 1992 19:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING REPOSITIONED ONTO A TRAILER WHEN THE TAIL SWUNG TO THE LEFT AND IMPACTED ON A DIRT BANK LOCATED 25 FEET FROM THE TRAILER. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE HELICOPTER AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A LANDING. THE RIGHT SKID TOUCHED DOWN ON THE TRAILER AND AS THE HELICOPTER SETTLED, IT ROLLED OVER ON ITS LEFT SIDE. THE PILOT REPORTED THE RIGHT TURN WAS UNCONTROLLABLE; HOWEVER, POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BY THE FAA REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. IN ADDITION THEY SAID, THE CONTINUITY OF THE CONTROL RODS AND CABLES TO THE TAIL ROTOR WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED BECAUSE THE ENTIRE TAIL ASSEMBLY WAS SEPARATED FROM THE TAIL BOOM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A YAW FOR UNKNOWN REASON(S) WHICH RESULTED IN THE TAIL ROTOR CONTACTING THE DIRT BANK AND A LOSS OF CONTROL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DECISION OF THE PILOT TO OPERATE IN CLOSE VICINITY TO THE DIRK BANK.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/12/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WEST MIFFLIN
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15122
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 ALLEGHENY COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AGC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1252
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 Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 589
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 13 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47987
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2070P
NTSB Number NYC92LA159
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 BELL
Aircraft Model 47G-3B-1
Aircraft Series Identifier 47G-3B-1
Aircraft Serial Number 3413
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RAL AVIATION INDUSTRIES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7 SPRINGS AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City CHAMPION
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15622
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RAYMOND D. SCHUSTER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4786 FRICH DRIVE
Operator City PITTSBURGH
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 15227
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1900
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 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 --