West Pasco Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New Port Richey, Florida 33556
Friday, September 4, 1987 15:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS PRACTICING AN AUTOROTATIVE LNDG FOR A PLANNED CFI CHECKRIDE. DRG THE LNDG, THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN ON THE AFT PORTION OF THE SKIDS, THEN PITCHED FORWARD. AS IT PITCHED FORWARD, THE PLT APPLIED FULL AFT CYCLIC & THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE TAIL BOOM & SEVERED IT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/4/1987
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NEW PORT RICHEY
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33556
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 WEST PASCO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID X41
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 40
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 192
Weather Observation Facility ID PIE
Elevation of weather observation facility 40
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2000
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) 1663
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 4 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1551
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34869
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N73DB
NTSB Number MIA87LA240
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 47G
Aircraft Series Identifier 47G
Aircraft Serial Number 1277
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 17 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 56
Airframe Hours 5976
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SOUTHWIND AVIATION, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5123 LONGVIEW DR.
Aircraft Owner City NEW PORT RICHEY
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33552
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SOUTH WIND AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5123 LONGVIEW DR.
Operator City NEW PORT RICHEY
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33552
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 PIE
Departure City ST PETERSBURG
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1445
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 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 26
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 48
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --