Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lemon Cove, California 93244
Sunday, January 18, 1987 7:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT RPRTD THAT WHILE AT 100 TO 150 FT AGL ON AN APCH TO LAND, THE ENG LOST PWR AS THOUGH IT HAD FLAMED OUT. HE ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION, BUT WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE HELIPAD. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER LANDED IN TREES & WAS BADLY DMGD. DRG THE INVESTIGATION, THE ENG WAS REMOVED FM THE AIRFRAME & OPERATIONALLY CHECKED, BUT NO REASON WAS FOUND FOR THE PWR LOSS. DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENG REVEALED SVRL DISCREPANCIES, BUT NONE OF WHICH WOULD HAVE SINGULARLY RESULTED IN A FLAME-OUT. AN EXAM OF THE ENG'S INTERNAL COMBUSTION LINER REVEALED AN OVERTEMP BLISTER, CRACKS ON THE FLANGE & NON- APPROVED WELDS; A REQD MOD OF THE LINER WASN'T COMPLETED. THE IGNITER & FUEL NOZZLE MOUNTING PAD ON THE OUTER COMBUSTIONLINER WAS SLIGHTLY DISPLACED (.009' FM PERPENDICULAR), RESULTING IN A SLIGHT DISPLACEMENT OF THE FLAME PATTERN INSIDE THE INNER LINER. THE #1 PWR TURBINE NOZZLE WAS BURNED, CRACKED & ERODED. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE ENG HAD EXPERIENCED 1 OR MORE OVERTEMP CONDS, POSSIBLY FM HOT STARTS, HI PWR LVLS OR LACK OF COOLING BFR ENG SHUTDOWNS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/18/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 700
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City LEMON COVE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93244
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 1
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 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) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 1100
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2243
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 26 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 823
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35883
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:37PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1107N
NTSB Number LAX87LA099
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 369D
Aircraft Series Identifier 369D
Aircraft Serial Number 210902D
Certified Max Gross Weight 2100
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 14 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 35
Airframe Hours 1123
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CAIRNS, DAVE
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 325
Aircraft Owner City LEMON COVE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93244
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 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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 600
Departure Time Zone PST
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 --