Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

So. Windsor, Connecticut
Wednesday, June 3, 1987 11:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT & FLT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) TOOK OFF ON A TRAINING FLT IN A ROBINSON R22 MARINER (FLOAT EQUIPPED) HELICOPTER. DRG THE RETURN FLT FM A PRACTICE AREA, THE HELICOPTER CRASHED. BFR THE ACDNT, 2 WITNESSES HEARD THE HELICOPTER, BUT DID NOT SEE IT UNTIL AFTER THEY HEARD AN UNUSUAL NOISE. ONE WITNESS SAID HE 'HEARD A LOUD PING, LIKE METAL AGAINST METAL.' AT ABOUT THAT TIME, BOTH WITNESSES NOTED AN INTERUPTION IN ENG PWR & SAW PIECES COMING OFF THE HELICOPTER AS IT FELL TO THE GND. IT CRASHED IN AN INVERTED ATTITUDE & BURNED. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES HAD STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM & THE ENTIRE TAIL ASSEMBLY (INCLUDING STABILIZERS, TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX & TAIL ROTOR) HAD SEPD. THE TAIL ASSEMBLY FELL TO THE GND APRX 250' FM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. NO PRE-EXISTING MECH PROBLEMS OR SEVERE MAST BUMPING WERE EVIDENT. THE CFI HAD 451 HRS OF FLT TIME, ALL IN R22 HELICOPTERS. IN THE PREV 5 DAYS, HE HAD FLOWN 2 HRS IN FLOAT EQUIPPED (MARINER) R22'S & HAD MADE WATER LANDINGS, BUT NO INSTRUCTION IN THE MARINER OR ITS DIFFERENCES WAS VERIFIED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/3/1987
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1120
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SO. WINDSOR
Event State CONNECTICUT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
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 --
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 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1047
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 3 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1140
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34240
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2287L
NTSB Number NYC87FA160
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R22 MARINER
Aircraft Series Identifier R22 MARINE
Aircraft Serial Number 0512M
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 Apr 13 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GEOFFREY D WYLER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 79 MILK STREET SUITE 806
Aircraft Owner City BOSTON
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02109
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NO.EAST HELICOPTERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT 83,P.O. BOX 497
Operator City ELLINGTON
Operator State CT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 06029
Operator Code E19-
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City ELLINGTON
Departure State CT
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 Unknown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --