Sterling Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sterling, Massachusetts 01564
Saturday, June 13, 1987 16:12 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE PRACTICING HOVERING IN THE DESIGNATED HOVER AREA AT THE ARPT, THE STU PLT ACCIDENTLY PULLED AFT CYCLIC WHILE THE HELICOPTER WAS DRIFTING BACKWARDS. THIS CAUSED THE TAIL STRUCTURE AND ROTOR BLADES TO CONTACT THE GROUND. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES THEN CONTACTED THE TAIL BOOM AND SEVERED IT, THROWING IT ABT 50 FT IN FRONT OF THE ACFT. THE INSTRUCTOR ADDED FORWARD CYCLIC, ROLLED OFF THE THROTTLE, AND LANDED THE HELICOPTER STRAIGHT AHEAD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/13/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1612
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City STERLING
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01564
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 STERLING
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 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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1879
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 13 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1720
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35248
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N351
NTSB Number NYC87LA178
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 ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R-22
Aircraft Series Identifier R-22
Aircraft Serial Number 0319
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 3 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2978
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FULLER AVIATION CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 23 CROWLEY ROAD
Aircraft Owner City STERLING
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 01565
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FULLER AVIATION CORP.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 23 CROWLEY ROAD
Operator City STERLING
Operator State MA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 01565
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Hover
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 34L
Runway Length 2800
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --