Lihue Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii 96766
Thursday, November 26, 1987 8:10 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT, WHO WAS ALSO A CERTIFICATED AIRFRAME & POWERPLANT MECH, RECENTLY CHANGED THE TAILBOOM ASSY. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT HE WAS CONDUCTING A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT. THE PILOT EXECUTED ONE AUTOROTATION WITH A POWER RECOVERY. THE PLT REENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. GND WITNESSES REPTD THAT WHEN THE HELICOPTER ENTERED THE BASE LEG THEY HEARD AN EXPLOSIVE SOUND FOLLOWED BY THE TAILBOOM ASSY SEPARATING FROM THE HELICOPTER. THE WRECKAGE EXAM DSCLSD THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK THE TAILBOOM. THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES WENT OUT OF TRACK AND STRUCK THE VERTICAL FINS, SEPARATING THE UPPER VERTICAL FIN. NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREEXISTING MALFUNCTIONS WAS FOUND. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES EXHIBITED LOW ROTOR RPM DAMAGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE MAIN ROTOR RPM.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/26/1987
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 810
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City LIHUE, KAUAI
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96766
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LIHUE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LIH
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 149
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 755 Hawaii Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LIH
Elevation of weather observation facility 149
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation HST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
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) 14
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 3
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2652
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 29 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38901
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N77DJ
NTSB Number LAX88LA059
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 369HS
Aircraft Series Identifier 369HS
Aircraft Serial Number 1240683S
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 19 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 3932
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LEAVEIL DE GREE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 658 SCOUT TRAIL
Aircraft Owner City ANAHEIM
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92807
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KAUAI HELICOPTERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 1728
Operator City LIHUE, KAUAI
Operator State HI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 96766
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 808
Departure Time Zone HST
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 3
Runway Length 6000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --