St. Louis Downtown Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cahokia, Illinois 62225
Thursday, March 10, 1988 10:45 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUCTOR WAS GIVING A PILOT AN EMPLOYMENT EVALUATION IN THE HELICOPTER WHEN DURING THE STARTUP THE PILOT PREMATURELY ADDED FULL POWER CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO ROTATE RAPIDLY TO THE RIGHT. THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN POSITIONED ON A TRAILER. DURING THE UNCONTROLLED ROTATION IT STRUCK A TRACTOR, ATTACHED TO THE TRAILER, WITH THE TAIL ROTOR. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST A FEW FEET FROM THE TRAILER AFTER THE MAIN ROTOR ASSEMBLY BROKE AWAY FROM THE HELICOPTER. THE TORQUE GAUGE IN THE HELICOPTER INDICATED IN EXCESS OF 100%.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/10/1988
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1045
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City CAHOKIA
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 62225
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ST. LOUIS DOWNTOWN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CPS
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 413
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1045 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID CPS
Elevation of weather observation facility 413
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 9
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 75
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35550
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N13Q
NTSB Number CHI88DCA01
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 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B
Aircraft Serial Number N13Q
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 Dec 31 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 66
Airframe Hours 3811
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HELICOPTERS, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8227 GRAVOIS
Aircraft Owner City ST LOUIS
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63123
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HELICOPTERS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 8227 GRAVOIS
Operator City ST. LOUIS
Operator State MO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 63123
Operator Code DDZA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation External Load
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1045
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 Descent
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 --