Biddeford Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Biddeford, Maine
Thursday, August 11, 1988 10:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER MADE AN APPROACH TO A LOW HOVER ABOVE A HARD SURFACED RWY. THE HELICOPTER WAS SLOWLY AIR TAXIING WHEN THE PLT FELT THE HELICOPTER BECOME UNSTABLE DIRECTIONALLY AND HE CONSIDERED MAKING A RUN-ON LANDING. HOWEVER, BEFORE HE COULD MAKE THE LANDING THE PILOT SAID 'THE NOSE STARTED GOING TO THE RIGHT VERY QUICKLY AND I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE CAREFULLY FORWARD WHICH DIDN'T WORK'. THE AIRCRAFT RAPIDLY WENT THROUGH ABOUT 360 DEG OF TURN BEFORE STRIKING THE GROUND IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE. THE TEMP AT THE TIME OF THE ACFT WAS 90 DEG F RESULTING IN A DENSITY ALT OF 2200 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/11/1988
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BIDDEFORD
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BIDDEFORD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID B19
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 162
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 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) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 2200
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1983
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 11 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1113
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38400
Date of most recent change to record Apr 12 2011 2:46PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N14861
NTSB Number NYC88LA214
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 47G5
Aircraft Series Identifier 47G5
Aircraft Serial Number 25089
Certified Max Gross Weight 2850
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 Aug 8 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 3236
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MAINE HELICOPTER, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address STATE AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City AUGUSTA
Aircraft Owner State ME
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 04330
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MAINE HELICOPTERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address AUGUSTA STATE AIRPORT
Operator City AUGUSTA
Operator State ME
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 14330
Operator Code Z1FL
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) Aerial Observation
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PWM
Departure City PORTLAND
Departure State ME
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code B1D
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 12 2011 2:46PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 06
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --