Laconia Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Laconia, New Hampshire 03246
Sunday, October 25, 1987 16:25 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT RPRTD HE WAS DEMONSTRATING A FULL TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATION IN WINDS THAT WERE FROM 290 DEG AT 15 GUSTING 20 KTS. HE STATED THE TOUCHDOWN WAS SOFT WITH A LOT OF PITCH PULLED IN; HOWEVER, AS HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE RETREATING BLADE FLEXED DOWNWARD & SEVERED THE AFT PORTION OF THE TAIL BOOM & THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT. THE PLT BELIEVED HE HAD LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE TOO FAST AFTER TOUCHDOWN, WHICH WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE BLADES TO FLAP DOWNWARD. ALSO, HE BELIEVED THE HIGH WIND & REDUCED RPM FROM THE AUTOROTATION WOULD HAVE ATTRIBUTED TO EXCESSIVE FLAPPING OF THE RETREATING ROTOR BLADES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/25/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1625
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City LACONIA
Event State NEW HAMPSHIRE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 03246
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LACONIA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LCI
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 545
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2489
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 26 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36788
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:56PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N51699
NTSB Number NYC88LA018
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 ENSTROM
Aircraft Model F-28C
Aircraft Series Identifier F-28C
Aircraft Serial Number 416
Certified Max Gross Weight 1950
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 8 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2753
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name COPTERS UNLIMITED, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address LACONIA AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City LACONIA
Aircraft Owner State NH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code FTJA
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code LCI
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1545
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --