Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Camas, Washington 98607
Wednesday, June 6, 1990 17:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE OWNER OF THE ENSTROM HELICOPTER, WHICH WAS OUT OF ANNUAL INSPECTION LIMITATIONS, ELECTED TO FLY IT OFF A TRAILER IN ORDER TO REPOSITION IT FOR MAINTENANCE PRIOR TO A FERRY FLIGHT. AT ABOUT FIFTY FEET, HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE, THE ENGINE SPEED INCREASED, AND THE ENGINE BECAME DISENGAGED FROM THE ROTOR DRIVE SYSTEM. AN AUTOROTATION WAS MADE, BUT THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE OWNER STATED HE BELIEVED THAT THE SPRAG CLUTCH FAILED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF A SPRAG CLUTCH IN THE ROTOR-DRIVE MECHANISM, AT AN ALTITUDE AND POSITION THAT PRECLUDED OR LIMITED THE POSSIBILITY OF A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/6/1990
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CAMAS
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98607
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 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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
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) 431
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 29 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1445
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41366
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N51729
NTSB Number SEA90LA116
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 ENSTROM
Aircraft Model F28C
Aircraft Series Identifier F28C
Aircraft Serial Number 420
Certified Max Gross Weight 2600
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 29 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 795
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DARRELL R. JONES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7515 N. FESSENDEN ST.
Aircraft Owner City PORTLAND
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97203
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1730
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 --