Tri-Cities Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Endicott, New York 13760
Thursday, September 17, 1992 17:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING LANDINGS FROM A HOVER ONTO A DOLLY WHICH WAS ABOUT 18 INCHES ABOVE THE GROUND. THE PILOT STATED HE TOUCHED THE HELICOPTER DOWN TOO FAR AFT ON THE DOLLY. HE SAID HE IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IN FULL UP-COLLECTIVE CONTROL BUT THE TAIL SKID HAD ALREADY CONTACTED EITHER THE DOLLY OR THE RAMP. THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES DISINTEGRATED. HE SAID THE HELICOPTER WENT THROUGH A 360-DEGREE SLOW TURN DUE TO LACK OF TAIL ROTOR TORQUE CONTROL AND UPON TOUCHDOWN THE LEFT SKID BENT 45 DEGREES FROM ITS NORMAL POSITION DUE TO THE SIDEWARD FORCE. THE PILOT STATED THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS PRIOR TO INITIAL IMPACT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT DID NOT ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/17/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ENDICOTT
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 13760
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TRI-CITIES
Event Location Nearest Airport ID N17
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 833
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 2081
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 18 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46873
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:18PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N727TB
NTSB Number BFO92LA155
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 TROY BELLAH
Aircraft Model ROTORWAY EXECUTIVE
Aircraft Series Identifier ROTORWAY E
Aircraft Serial Number 3664
Certified Max Gross Weight 1350
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 29 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 9
Airframe Hours 142
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID E. HAUSE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 108 NANTICOKE AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City ENDICOTT
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 13760
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAVID E. HAUSE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 108 NANTICOKE AVENUE
Operator City ENDICOTT
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 13760
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 1800
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 Landing
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 --