Downtown Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74106
Saturday, May 6, 1989 10:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT SAID HE AND A BEGINNER STUDENT WERE IN A HOVER PRACTICE AREA AND WERE REPOSITIONING THE HELICOPTER TO ALLOW ANOTHER HELICOPTER TO HOVER OUT FROM THE RAMP. HE SAID HE ALLOWED THE STUDENT TO FOLLOW HIM ON THE CONTROLS, AND DURING THE HOVER LANDING, A GUST OF WIND CAUSED THE TAIL TO PITCH UP. AN UNEXPECTED CONTROL INPUT BY THE STUDENT CAUSED AN OVERCORRECTION WHICH ALLOWED THE TAIL ROTOR TO STRIKE THE GROUND. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE TAIL ROTOR, THE SKIDS, AND THE BUBBLE CANOPY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE STUDENT BY THE INSTRUCTOR IN THAT HE ALLOWED THE STUDENT TO OVERPOWER HIS CONTROL INPUTS AFTER AN UNEXPECTED GUST OF WIND MOVED THE TAIL OF THE HELICOPTER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/6/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City TULSA
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 74106
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DOWNTOWN AIRPARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 5F2
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 320
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 8 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 829
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38862
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6330D
NTSB Number FTW89LA092
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 47L
Aircraft Series Identifier 47L
Aircraft Serial Number 1044
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 May 2 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 7377
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALLIED HELICOPTER INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 6216
Aircraft Owner City TULSA
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 74148
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ALLIED HELICOPTERS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BOX 6216
Operator City TULSA
Operator State OK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 74148
Operator Code HMIA
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 5F2
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1005
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 Hover
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --