Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ardmore, Oklahoma 73401
Saturday, April 25, 1987 17:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTEDLY HEARD AN UNUSUAL NOISE IN THE ENGINE AND MADE A PRECAUTIONARY AUTOROTATION TO LANDING. TOUCHDOWN WAS ON UNEVEN TERRAIN AND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. THIS RESULTED IN THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY BEING CHOPPED OFF THE TAIL BOOM BY THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. AFTER RECOVERY THE OWNER/OPERATOR STATED HE FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF ANYTHING OTHER THAN A HARD LANDING WHICH RESULTED IN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES MAKING CONTACT WITH THE TAIL BOOM AND CHOPPING IT IN TWO.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/25/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ARDMORE
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 73401
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 4
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 10
Degrees magnetic from airport 150
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
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 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) 143
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 28 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 808
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32922
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3575
NTSB Number FTW87LA107
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 47D1
Aircraft Series Identifier 47D1
Aircraft Serial Number K-7032
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 1 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 4000
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VERSATILE AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1336 SO. LAKE MURRAY DR.
Aircraft Owner City ARDMORE
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 73401
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 1F0
Departure City ARDMORE
Departure State OK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 1F0
Destination City ARDMORE
Destination State OK
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 --