Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Plainfield, Illinois 60544
Tuesady, September 15, 1987 15:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE MANEUVERING AT ABOUT 4 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED RIGHT TURN AND DESCENT, COLLIDING WITH THE GROUND. THE ENGINE POWER LOSS WAS DUE TO THE FAILURE OF A STUD AND BOLT HOLDING THE CRANKSHAFT IDLER GEAR SHAFT IN PLACE. THIS FAILURE CAUSED THE CRANKSHAFT IDLER GEAR TO DISENGAGE FROM THE CRANKSHAFT AND CAMSHAFT MAIN GEARS, RESULTING IN POWER LOSS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/15/1987
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PLAINFIELD
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60544
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 9
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MDW
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 7500
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) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 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 --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1992
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35532
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:48PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8927F
NTSB Number CHI87DEE10
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
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 269A
Aircraft Series Identifier 269A
Aircraft Serial Number 1130310
Certified Max Gross Weight 1550
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 Oct 15 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 228
Airframe Hours 2664
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AMERICAN PRIDE CAR WASH INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 31 SURRY ROAD
Aircraft Owner City MADISON HEIGHTS
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 21572
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HAROLD E MILLER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address SANDWICH AIRPORT
Operator City SANDWICH
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60548
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1525
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 Descent
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --