Brackett Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

La Verne, California 91750
Friday, May 27, 1988 11:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD DURING A PRACTICE TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATION (AUTO). THE HELO REMAINED IN CLOSED TRAFFIC FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRACTICING TOUCHDOWN AUTOS TO A LANDING AREA ADJACENT TO THE APRT'S RWY. THERE WAS ALSO ANOTHER HELO IN CLOSED TRAFFIC USING THE LANDING AREA FOR THE SAME PURPOSE. THE OTHER HELO WAS LANDING LONG IN THE AREA ALLOWING THE ACCIDENT HELO TO USE THE FIRST HALF. THE PVT PLT INITIATED THE AUTO. THE CFI THEN TOOK COMMAND OF THE HELO BECAUSE HE FELT THEY WOULD NOT CLEAR A PERIMETER FENCE LOCATED SHORT OF THE INTENDED TOUCHDOWN POINT. THE CFI THEN APPLIED COLLECTIVE PITCH TO EXTEND THE GLIDE OVER THE FENCE. THE PRIVATE PLT INDICATED THAT THE ROTOR RPM WAS DEPLETED AND THE CFI DID NOT FLARE THE HELO SUFFICIENTLY TO REGAIN ROTOR RPM OR DECREASE THE GROUND SPEED. THE HELO LANDED HARD AND BOUNCED. NEITHER THE PRIVATE PLT NOR THE CFI REPORTED ANY MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/27/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LA VERNE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91750
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BRACKETT FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID POC
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 1011
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID POC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1011
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2004
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 27 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38360
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4898
NTSB Number LAX88LA198
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 F28A
Aircraft Series Identifier F28A
Aircraft Serial Number 055
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Mar 30 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours 13554
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HISER HELICOPTERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1969 AVIATION DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City CORONA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91720
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HISER HELICOPTER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1805 MC KINLEY AVE.
Operator City LA VERNE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91750
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1120
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 10:30AM
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 --