Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Manhattan, New York
Tuesady, July 12, 1988 12:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AS THE PLT OF AN S-76 HELICOPTER WAS HOVERING TO PARK NEXT TO A PARKED MBB BK 117 HELICOPTER, N135CP, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES OF N135CP BEGAN FLAPPING. SUBSEQUENTLY, ONE BLADE FAILED FROM DOWNWARD OVERLOAD, ABOUT 29 INCHES FROM THE MAIN RETAINING PIN CENTER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE APPEARS TO BE THE RESULT OF A STATIC DOWNWARD BENDING OVERSTRESS, CAUSED BY ANOTHER HELICOPTER HOVERING OVER OR VERY CLOSE TO THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE AS IT WAS IN A STATIC/STOPPED POSITION.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 7/12/1988
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1210
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MANHATTAN
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 7
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
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 Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
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 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) 5095
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 12 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1225
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40448
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:57AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N135CP
NTSB Number NYC88IA186
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MBB
Aircraft Model BK-117
Aircraft Series Identifier BK-117
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 6173
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 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name COLGATE PALMOLIVE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 333 INDUSTRIAL AVE.
Aircraft Owner City TETERBORO
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07608
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name COLGATE PALMOLIVE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 233 INDUSTRIAL AVE.
Operator City TETERBORO
Operator State NJ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 07608
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City TETERBORO
Destination State NJ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Standing
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --