Hanscome Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bedford, Massachusetts 07130
Wednesday, July 22, 1987 11:18 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION WITH POWER RECOVERY, THE ROTOR RPM BLED OFF. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE HELICOPTER TURNED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE HITTING THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED TO THE LEFT AND CAME TO REST ON ITS SIDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/22/1987
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1118
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BEDFORD
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07130
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HANSCOME FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BED
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 50
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1518 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 50
Weather Observation Facility ID BED
Elevation of weather observation facility 133
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2031
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 22 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35593
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:37PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8384F
NTSB Number NYC87LA208
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 HUGHES
Aircraft Model 369D
Aircraft Series Identifier 369D
Aircraft Serial Number 1260051D
Certified Max Gross Weight 2100
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 12 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4479
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TRAFFICOPTERS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 218
Aircraft Owner City MCCORDSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46055
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 17450 104 TER.
Operator City JUPITER
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33478
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 No
Departure Airport Code BED
Departure City BEDFORD
Departure State MA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 --