Palm Beach County Park Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

West Palm Beach, Florida 33416
Saturday, October 28, 1989 13:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED THAT AFTER MAKING AN APCH FOR LNDG INTO THE WIND, HE FLEW THE HELICOPTER TO A 6 FT HOVER. HE INITIATED A LEFT PEDAL TURN TO A HEADING OF APRX 220 DEG. ON THIS HEADING, THE WIND WAS FROM THE RIGHT REAR. THE PLT RPRTD THERE WAS AN ABRUPT PITCH-DOWN OF THE HELICOPTER'S NOSE. HE APPLIED FULL AFT CYCLIC & COLLECTIVE PITCH, FOLLOWED BY RIGHT PEDAL IN AN ATTEMPT TO TURN THE HELICOPTER INTO THE WIND. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER HIT THE GROUND WITH THE RIGHT SKID IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE & WAS DAMAGED. THE PLT ESTIMATED THE WIND WAS FROM 330 DEG AT 14 GUSTING 25 KTS. ABOUT 8 MI AWAY AT PALM BEACH INTL ARPT, THE WIND WAS FROM 360 DEG AT 17 KTS. THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN LOADED TO ITS MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE MOMENT ARM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UNFAVORABLE AND GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/28/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WEST PALM BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33416
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PALM BEACH COUNTY PARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LNA
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 16
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1700 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PBI
Elevation of weather observation facility 27
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 17
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 Minor
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 --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1176
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 28 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1320
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39327
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6359E
NTSB Number MIA90LA018
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 47G
Aircraft Series Identifier 47G
Aircraft Serial Number N6359E
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 30 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 42
Airframe Hours 696
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARK A. YOUNG
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6114 CARTHAGE CIRCLE SOUTH
Aircraft Owner City LAKE WORTH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33463
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Aerial Observation
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 10:35AM
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 --