Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mt Clemens, Michigan 48045
Sunday, April 27, 1986 13:18 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER APRX 20 SUCCESSFUL TAKEOFFS & LANDINGS, THE ENG OF THE HELICOPTER LOST POWER AT ABOUT 300 FT AGL, DUE TO A #1 CONNECTING ROD FAILURE. DURING AN AUTOROTATION, THE HELICOPTER LANDED IN TREES & WAS DESTROYED. ALTHOUGH THE PILOT WAS INSTRUCTING A NEW STUDENT PILOT, HE HELD NO FAA FLYING CERTIFICATE. THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER WAS DATED 12/2/75. A TEARDOWN OF THE ENG REVEALED DISCREPANCIES IN THE INSTALLATION OF THE #2, #3 & #4 ROD CAPS. DUE TO THE DAMAGE, PROPER INSTALLATION OF THE #1 ROD CAP COULD NOT BE VERIFIED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/27/1986
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1318
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MT CLEMENS
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48045
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 4
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1249 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID DET
Elevation of weather observation facility 626
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1239
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 27 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1310
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31633
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2194U
NTSB Number CHI86LA134
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Brantly Helicopter
Aircraft Model B-2B
Aircraft Series Identifier B-2B
Aircraft Serial Number 405
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 Dec 2 1975 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EDWARD C. THOMAS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 23195 N. REMICK
Aircraft Owner City MT. CLEMENS
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48043
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
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1315
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 10:36AM
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 --