Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lexington, Mississippi 39095
Thursday, September 21, 1989 18:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING FLT, THE HELICOPTER PLT NOTED THAT THE MAIN ROTOR RPM BEGAN DECREASING & THE ENG RPM BEGAN INCREASING. HE INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION, BUT THE HELICOPTER LANDED IN TREES & WAS DAMAGED. AN EXAM REVEALED A BOLT LUG ON THE END OF THE LINEAR ACTUATOR (THAT ENGAGED THE BELT DRIVE) HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE LINEAR ACTUATOR LUG. A RELATED FACTOR WAS: TREES IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/21/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City LEXINGTON
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 39095
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 9
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 1753 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 46
Weather Observation Facility ID GWO
Elevation of weather observation facility 142
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 26
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1373
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 22 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1142
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39671
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9318F
NTSB Number MIA89LA255
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 269B
Aircraft Series Identifier 269B
Aircraft Serial Number 34-0050
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PROVINE BOB JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 1 BOX 470
Aircraft Owner City GREENWOOD
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38930
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PROVINE,BOB JR
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT 1 BOX 470
Operator City GREENWOOD
Operator State MS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 38930
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 19M
Departure City LEXINGTON
Departure State MS
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
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 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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --