Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carson City, Nevada 89701
Monday, August 21, 1989 13:40 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT OVER A RESIDENTIAL AREA, THE ENGINE FAILED AND THE PILOT PERFORMED AN AUTOROTATION TO A STREET. DUE TO LANDING AREA CONSTRAINTS, THE AUTOROTATION WAS PERFORMED WITH A 30 KNOT TAIL WIND COMPONENT, WHICH CAUSED A HARD LANDING AND LOSS OF CONTROL AFTER TOUCHDOWN. FIVE PERSONS WERE ABOARD AND ONE SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES DUE TO BEING EJECTED FROM THE HELICOPTER, WHEN HIS SEATBELT FAILED. THE POWER LOSS WAS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE GP TURBINE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A FAILURE OF THE GAS GENERATOR TURBINE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE TAILWIND AND THE RESIDENTIAL AREA IN WHICH THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO LAND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/21/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1340
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CARSON CITY
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89701
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID RNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 4412
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 3
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2389
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 21 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43337
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3596G
NTSB Number DEN89FA197
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model AS350D
Aircraft Series Identifier AS350D
Aircraft Serial Number 1110
Certified Max Gross Weight 3968
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ARIS HELICOPTERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1138 COLEMAN AVE
Operator City SAN JOSE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95110
Operator Code CAXA
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code RNO
Departure City RENO
Departure State NV
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City BODIE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --