Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Copake Falls, New York 12517
Saturday, June 18, 1988 15:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION TO AN OPEN FIELD, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A WIRE THAT HAD NOT BEEN OBSERVED. AN ATTEMPT TO FLY OVER THE WIRE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND THE TAIL ROTOR AND AFT 1/3 OF THE TAIL CONE WAS SEVERED FROM THE HELICOPTER. A HOVERING AUTOROTATION FROM 20 FEET AGL WAS THEN PERFORMED WHICH RESULTED IN BENT SKIDS AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES BEING DESTROYED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/18/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City COPAKE FALLS
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 12517
Event Date Year 1988
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 35000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
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) --
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) 1819
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 18 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1557
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38066
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:51AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N622SC
NTSB Number NYC88LA169
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 ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R22HP
Aircraft Series Identifier R22HP
Aircraft Serial Number 0052
Certified Max Gross Weight 1300
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 17 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 1995
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FULLER AVIATION CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address STERLING AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City STERLING
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 01564
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AVIATION TRAINING ACADEMY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address STERLING AIRPORT
Operator City STERLING
Operator State MA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 01564
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 No
Departure Airport Code DXR
Departure City DANBURY
Departure State CT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PSF
Destination City PITTSFIELD
Destination State MA
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 --