North Little Rock Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

No. Little Rock, Arkansas 72118
Sunday, August 18, 1991 16:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMMERCIAL HELICOPTER PILOT WAS DEMONSTRATING AN AUTOROTATION TO TOUCHDOWN TO HIS PASSENGER. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWNWARD WHICH RESULTED IN THE TAILBOOM BEING PENETRATED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN MAIN ROTOR RPM, HIS DELAYED FLARE, AND THE IMPROPER TOUCHDOWN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/18/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City NO. LITTLE ROCK
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72118
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NORTH LITTLE ROCK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID M19
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 542
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 776
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44750
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N65372
NTSB Number FTW91LA150
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HUGHES
Aircraft Model 269A-1
Aircraft Series Identifier 269A-1
Aircraft Serial Number 15-0022
Certified Max Gross Weight 1640
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 24 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 26
Airframe Hours 2153
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AERIAL PATROL, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8100A REMOUNT ROAD
Aircraft Owner City NO. LITTLE ROCK
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72118
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NORTH LITTLE ROCK AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address NORTH LITTLE ROCK AIRPORT
Operator City NO. LITTLE ROCK
Operator State AR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 72118
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 1M1
Departure City NO. LITTLE ROCK
Departure State AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone CST
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 15
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --