Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lincoln, Nebraska 68524
Monday, March 30, 1987 15:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PIC STATED THAT HE WAS GROUND TAXIING THE HELO TO THE RAMP AREA AT DUNCAN AVIATION TO SHUTDOWN FOR REFUELING. DURING THE TAXI, THE PIC HEARD A LOUD 'BANG' EMINATING FM THE REAR OF THE HELO. THE PIC LOWERED COLLECTIVE PITCH AND NO FURTHER NOISE WAS HEARD AND NO VIBRATION WAS FELT. THE PIC RE-APPLIED COLLECTIVE PITCH TO MOVE FORWARD WHEN THE HELO BEGAN TO YAW AND VIBRATE. AT THIS POINT THE PIC LOWERED COLLECTIVE TO FLAT PITCH AND SHUTDOWN THE ENG. REMOVAL REVEALED A BROKEN PORTION OF THE T/R DRIVESHAFT ABOUT 1 FT FORWARD OF THE GEARBOX. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION BY THE NTSB LAB AND AN INDEPENDENT METALLURGIST CONCLUDED THAT THE DRIVESHAFT FAILED IN A MANNER CHARACTERISTIC OF TORSIONAL OVERLOAD. THE PIC STATED THAT NO CONTACT WITH THE GRND OR STATIONARY OBJECT HAD OCCURRED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 3/30/1987
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City LINCOLN
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 68524
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 3
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 On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5050
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 1 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35128
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:00PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4GH
NTSB Number MKC87IA070
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Agusta
Aircraft Model A109
Aircraft Series Identifier A109
Aircraft Serial Number 7151
Certified Max Gross Weight 5730
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 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 14 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 2023
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RODGERS HELICOPTER SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3124 AVENUE F
Aircraft Owner City KEARNEY
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 68847
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City OMAHA
Departure State NE
Departure Country
Departure Time 1440
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code LNK
Destination City LINCOLN
Destination State NE
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
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 --