Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Seagrove, North Carolina 27341
Thursday, June 28, 1990 10:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON A ROUTINE POWER LINE PATROL FLIGHT, THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE HELICOPTER YAWED TO THE LEFT, AND SPLIT ENGINE/ROTOR RPM INDICATIONS WERE OBSERVED. AN AUTOROTATION WAS PERFORMED IN A PARTIALLY CLEARED AREA AND THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED TREES AND TERRAIN. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE NUMBER FOUR CONNECTING ROD BELT HAD FAILED. THE CONNECTING ROD SEPARATED FROM THE CRANKSHAFT AND JAMMED ITSELF AGAINST THE CRANKSHAFT, RESULTING IN ENGINE STOPPAGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF A NUMBER FOUR CONNECTING ROD BOLT FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/28/1990
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SEAGROVE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27341
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 Unknown
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) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1626
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 28 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1305
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42893
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 N3081G
NTSB Number ATL90LA138
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 BELL
Aircraft Model BH-47G
Aircraft Series Identifier BH-47G
Aircraft Serial Number 3153
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 9 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 84
Airframe Hours 13608
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name INLAND AIR LINES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 15189
Aircraft Owner City DURHAM
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27704
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SOP
Departure City SOUTHERN PINES
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 825
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 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 --