Davenport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Davenport, Iowa 92804
Wednesday, October 26, 1988 17:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE DEMONSTRATING AN AUTOROTATION TOUCHDOWN, A TAILBOOM STRIKE WAS EXPERIENCED. DAMAGE WAS INCURRED TO THE TAILBOOM, THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT, AND ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE. THE CFI SAID EVERTHING FELT NORMAL DURING TOUCHDOWN AND BELIEVED THE SOFT TERRAIN CONDITIONS CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/26/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DAVENPORT
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92804
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 DAVENPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DVK
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 750
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 1
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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) 1334
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 27 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37429
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N57FD
NTSB Number MKC89LA016
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 HILLER
Aircraft Model UH-12C
Aircraft Series Identifier UH-12C
Aircraft Serial Number 817
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 22 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 5577
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VETERANS AVIATION SERVIC INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT #3 DAVENOR MUNICIPAN
Aircraft Owner City DAVENPORT
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 52804
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name VETERAN'S AVIATION SERVICE INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RR#3, DAVENPORT MUN. AIRPORT
Operator City DAVENPORT
Operator State IA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92804
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code DVN
Departure City DAVENPORT
Departure State IA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 21
Runway Length 4500
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --