Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

East Fishkill, New York 12533
Saturday, May 10, 1986 12:24 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER DEPARTURE, ANOTHER PILOT ADVISED N8511Z THAT A COWL DOOR WAS OPEN. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED, BUT CONTINUED THE FLIGHT. DURING THE VFR FLIGHT, WITNESSES HEARD A LOUD POP & OBSERVED THE R22 HELICOPTER BREAK APART IN FLIGHT. ONE WITNESS OBSERVED A LIGHT AIRPLANE TRAVELING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT THE SAME TIME. THE TAIL BOOM WAS THE FIRST PIECE OF THE HELICOPTER FOUND ALONG THE 584' LONG WRECKAGE PATH. THE MAIN ROTOR SEPARATED FROM ITS DRIVE SHAFT & THERE WERE MULTIPLE STRIKES TO THE TAIL BOOM. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE MAIN ROTOR HEAD COMPONENTS & EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE THAT COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE DIVERGING & STRIKING THE TAIL BOOM, RESULTING IN THE IN-FLIGHT SEPARATION OF THE TAIL BOOM. EXAMINATION OF THE RIGHT COLLECTIVE CONTROL TUBE REVEALED A FATIGUE FRACTURE IN THE INBOARD WALL OF THE TUBE WHERE IT IS NORMALLY LIGHTLY LOADED. THE EVIDENCE DID NOT SUPPORT A CONCLUSION THAT THIS WAS RELATED TO LOSS OF MAIN ROTOR CONTROL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/10/1986
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1224
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City EAST FISHKILL
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 12533
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 5
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 1243 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID POU
Elevation of weather observation facility 166
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 750
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2461
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 10 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33231
Date of most recent change to record Apr 19 2002 9:59AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8511Z
NTSB Number NYC86FA127
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 ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R-22A
Aircraft Series Identifier R-22A
Aircraft Serial Number 0415
Certified Max Gross Weight 1370
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 18 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 984
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAD'S AIR, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 62 ALBANY POST RD.
Aircraft Owner City HYDE PARK
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 12538
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code POU
Departure City POUGHKEEPSIE
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1211
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DXR
Destination City DANBURY
Destination State CT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --