Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jacksonville, Florida 32204
Monday, June 16, 1986 6:44 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A LCL TV STN HAD HIRED THE OPER TO PROVIDE A HELICOPTER FOR USE IN BROADCASTING AN AIRBORNE TRAFFIC SHOW. THE PLT TOOK OFF WITH A RPRTR & A CAMERA MAN ABOARD. DRG A LIVE TRAFFIC RPRT, THE ACFT WAS HDG EASTBOUND AT SLOW SPEED OVR A DOWNTOWNAREA AT APRX 400 FT AGL. WHILE IT WAS AT OR NR A HOVER, WITNESSES HEARD A NOISE. THE ACFT THEN ENTERED A RAPID SPIN TO THE RGT & BGN AN UNCTLD DSCNT. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT STRUCK A TREE & A UTILITY POLE, THEN IMPACTED THE GND. AFTER BYSTANDERS REMOVED THE OCCUPANTS FM THE WRECKAGE, A FIRE ERUPTED. THE ENG THROTTLE GRIP WAS FND IN THE FULL OPEN (PWR ON) PSN. AN INV SHOWED THE AFT TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT FLEXIBLE (FLEX) COUPLING, PN 369H5501, HAD FAILED FM FATIGUE. AD 81-17-02 REQDTHAT ALL 369D'S WITH MAIN ROTOR BRAKES (MRB'S) BE INSPD AT 100 HR INTERVALS UNTIL THE FWD FLEX COUPLINGS WERE REPLACED WITH FAIL SAFE COUPLINGS (PN 369H92564), BUT THE ORIGINAL FWD & AFT FLEX COUPLINGS WERE IDENTICAL. ALSO, OTHER MODELS OFTHE 369 HAD NRLY IDENTICAL MRB'S, BUT THE AD DID NOT APPLY TO THESE. N9045F, A HUGHES 369HE, HAD NO MRB.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/16/1986
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 644
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City JACKSONVILLE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32204
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 6
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 653 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 95
Weather Observation Facility ID CRG
Elevation of weather observation facility 40
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dawn
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1373
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 16 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31765
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 N9045F
NTSB Number MIA86MA182
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HUGHES
Aircraft Model 369HE
Aircraft Series Identifier 369HE
Aircraft Serial Number 1090211E
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 21 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 41
Airframe Hours 4343
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HELICOPTER SERV. OF JACKSONVIL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 855 ST. JOHNS BLUFF RD.
Aircraft Owner City JACKSONVILLE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 71727
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 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) Aerial Observation
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code IRG
Departure City JACKSONVILLE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 624
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 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 --