Essex Skypark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Baltimore, Maryland 21236
Sunday, May 13, 1990 10:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS PRACTICING LANDINGS WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. HE REPORTED THAT AFTER TOUCH DOWN, AS THE FORWARD MOTION OF THE HELICOPTER SLOWED, HE NOTICED THE HELICOPTER PITCHED SLIGHTLY DOWN. THE PLT STATED HE INSTINCTIVELY APPLIED AFT CYCLIC PRESSURE, CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO FLEX DOWN AND SEVERE THE TAIL CONE. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS REPORTED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT APPLIED EXCESSIVE CYCLIC CONTROL, CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR TO FLEX AND SEVERE THE TAIL CONE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/13/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BALTIMORE
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 21236
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ESSEX SKYPARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID W48
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 952 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BWI
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2700
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 224
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 13 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40990
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:57PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4229A
NTSB Number BFO90LA042
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 BELL
Aircraft Model 47D
Aircraft Series Identifier 47D
Aircraft Serial Number 001
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 Mar 8 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 79
Airframe Hours 2514
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROTORCRAFTER'S INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 18030-0130
Aircraft Owner City BALTIMORE
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 21220
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JESSE G. HADAWAY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 8659 CASTLEMILL CIRCLE
Operator City BALTIMORE
Operator State MD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 21234
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 955
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 10:30AM
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 --