Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Peoria Heights, Illinois 61614
Monday, June 22, 1987 12:58 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

RETURNING FROM A POWERLINE PATROL FLIGHT, THE ENGINE SURGED TWICE AND QUIT. THE PILOT EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION TO THE ONLY AVAILABLE LANDING SITE, A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FIELD. ON TOUCHDOWN THE BLADES FLEXED AND SEVERED THE TAILBOOM. INVESTIGATION REVEALED LESS THAN TWO QUARTS OF FUEL REMAINING IN THE FUEL SYSTEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/22/1987
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1258
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PEORIA HEIGHTS
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 61614
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 6
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 700
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1152 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID PIA
Elevation of weather observation facility 660
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1084
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 22 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1310
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34276
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:28PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N15395
NTSB Number CHI87DEV02
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 47G2
Aircraft Series Identifier 47G2
Aircraft Serial Number 2408
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 19 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 3730
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name D. H. HELICOPTER, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 400 N WHARF ST.
Aircraft Owner City ST. LOUIS
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63102
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FOSTAIRE HELICOPTERS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 DEJA
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 No
Departure Airport Code 3MY
Departure City PEORIA
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 845
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --