Houston Hobby Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houston, Texas 77061
Tuesady, April 3, 1990 11:35 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF THE TURBINE ENGINE HELICOPTER WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT WHEN HE SMELLED WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS BURNING OIL. THE ENGINE FLAMED OUT A FEW SECONDS LATER. AN AUTOROTATIONAL DESCENT WAS ACCOMPLISHED TO AN OPEN SCHOOL YARD. DURING THE FLARE/TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT MISJUDGED AND A HARD LANDING OCCURRED RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF THE TAILBOOM WHEN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK IT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE TOTAL FAILURE OF THE ENGINE FOR UNDERTEMINED REASONS AND THE PILOT MISJUDGING THE FLARE PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/3/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1135
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HOUSTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77061
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HOUSTON HOBBY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HOU
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 1130 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID HOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 47
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
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 Broken
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1046
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 3 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1559
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42265
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9128F
NTSB Number FTW90LA090
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 H500C
Aircraft Series Identifier H500C
Aircraft Serial Number 720398S
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 9 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1583
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LANCASTER, MARK
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. 262013
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77207
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MARK R. LANCASTER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 15906 LAURELFIELD
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77207
Operator Code TXEA
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1120
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 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 --