Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Castroville, California 95012
Sunday, October 16, 1988 10:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AERIAL APPLICATION BY HELICOPTER, ENGINE POWER WAS LOST. PLT MANEUVERED TO AVOID POWER LINES DURING AUTOROTATION, RESULTING IN HARD LNDG. INVESTIGATION REVEALED FAILURE OF ACCESSORY DRIVE TO MAGNETOS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/16/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CASTROVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95012
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 10
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 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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 12
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2001
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 16 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38357
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9092T
NTSB Number LAX89DVM01
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CONTINENTAL COPTERS
Aircraft Model OH13H
Aircraft Series Identifier OH13H
Aircraft Serial Number CCI-78-4
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 10 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 81
Airframe Hours 3716
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GOMES FARM AIR SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 868
Aircraft Owner City CASTROVILLE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95012
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GOMES, FRANK
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 11065 MERRITT, P.O. BOX 868
Operator City CASTROVILLE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95012
Operator Code LSJG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City CASTROVILLE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
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 10:35AM
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 --