Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lihue, Hawaii 96766
Thursday, July 31, 1986 9:00 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPER CRASHED INTO TREES WHILE ON A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT WHILE HOVERING OUT OF GROUND EFFECT THE MAIN ROTOR AND ENGINE RPM WERE DROPPING BELOW THE MINIMUM OPERATING LIMITS. THE PILOT LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE TO REGAIN RPM BUT WAS NOT SUCCUSSFUL. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK SEVERAL TREES AND THE HELICOPTER WENT STRAIGHT DOWN. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER, ALSO A PILOT, STATED THERE WAS NOTHING MECHANICALLY WRONG WITH THE AIRCRAFT. THE ACCIDENT SITE ELEVATION WAS 3,500 FT MSL AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS 81 DEGS (F). DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS APRX 5,300 FT MSL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/31/1986
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 900
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City LIHUE
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96766
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 7
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1855
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LIH
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 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1466
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 31 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1050
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31868
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 N700EC
NTSB Number LAX86FJA03
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 BELL
Aircraft Model 47G-3B1
Aircraft Series Identifier 47G-3B1
Aircraft Serial Number 2945
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 Feb 7 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 79
Airframe Hours 6991
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD V. COFFIN, JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 322
Aircraft Owner City HANAMAULU
Aircraft Owner State HI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96715
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 LIH
Departure City LIHUE
Departure State HI
Departure Country
Departure Time 800
Departure Time Zone HST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LIH
Destination City LIHUE
Destination State HI
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 --