Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Milbridge, Maine 04658
Wednesday, August 16, 1989 14:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING THE PILOT'S PRIVATE HELIPORT IN MILBRIDGE, MAINE, THE HELICOPTER HAD A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER. IT WAS THEN AUTOROTATED INTO THE NARRAGUAGUS RIVER AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE NUMBER 3 INTAKE VALVE OUTER SPRING, P/N LW11796, HAD BROKEN NEAR THE TOP OF THE VALVE STEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 3 INTAKE VALVE OUTER SPRING. THE WATER (RIVER) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/16/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MILBRIDGE
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 04658
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
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 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) 1598
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 16 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1526
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40484
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 N89JD
NTSB Number NYC89LA195
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 ENSTROM
Aircraft Model 280C
Aircraft Series Identifier 280C
Aircraft Serial Number 1103
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection May 5 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 1220
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HAROLD K LEIGHTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address RFD 1 BOX 1960
Aircraft Owner City MILLBRIDGE
Aircraft Owner State ME
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 04658
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HAROLD LEIGHTON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RFD 1, BOX 196D
Operator City MILBRIDGE
Operator State ME
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 04658
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --