Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19147
Wednesday, August 2, 1989 9:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORLTY AFTER DEPARTING PENNS LANDING HELIPORT AT PIER 38, WHICH WAS 20 FEET ABOVE THE WATER, THE HELICOPTER CRASHED INTO THE WATER AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. IT WAS RECOVERED FROM THE WATER & THE WATER AND MUD WERE REMOVED. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE ENGINE RAN NORMALLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: WATER IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/2/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 900
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PHILADELPHIA
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19147
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 0
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 1596
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 2 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 935
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40482
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N75044
NTSB Number NYC89LA179
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model 269C
Aircraft Series Identifier 269C
Aircraft Serial Number S1287
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 Jul 21 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 1343
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ATLANTIC LEASIING SERVICE, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 115 MADISON AVE
Aircraft Owner City CHERRY HILL
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 08002
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ATLANTIC LEASING SER.,INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 115 MADISON AVENUE
Operator City CHERRY HILL
Operator State NJ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 08002
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code UKT
Destination City QUAKERTOWN
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --