Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bexley, Ohio 43209
Monday, March 13, 1989 7:20 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 500 FEET AGL WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT WITHOUT WARNING. AN AUTOROTATION WAS EXECUTED TO AN OPEN FIELD. THE TAILBOOM WAS SEVERED BY THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE NO. 1 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE FAILED.FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ENGINE HAD BEEN DAMAGED PREVIOUSLY OVERSPED ABOUT 60 HOURS PRIOR THE EXHAUST VALVE FAILURE. ENGINE MAINTENANCE RECORDS CONTAINED NO EVIDENCE OF AN OVERSPEED INSPECTION BUT DID REVEAL THAT THE NO. 2 CYLINDER WAS REMOVED BECAUSE OF OIL FOULING. THE ENGINE WAS OPERATED TWO TENTHS OF AN HOUR AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE CYLINDER AND SUFFERED FAILURE OF THE NO. 1 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE OF PREVIOUS DAMAGE WHICH LED TO THE FAILURE OF THE NO. 1 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/13/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 720
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BEXLEY
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 43209
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 3
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 650 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID CMH
Elevation of weather observation facility 1009
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 626
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 13 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 946
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40136
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:31PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N300PP
NTSB Number ATL89LA100
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 HUGHES
Aircraft Model 269C
Aircraft Series Identifier 269C
Aircraft Serial Number 900958
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 Feb 1 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 75
Airframe Hours 1951
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BAUMBERGER, TERRY F.
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOLTON FIELD HANGAR C
Aircraft Owner City COLUMBUS
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 43228
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 2I4
Departure City COLUMBUS
Departure State OH
Departure Country
Departure Time 705
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 2I4
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --