Salinas Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Salinas, California 93905
Tuesady, August 12, 1986 8:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT EXPERIENCED A 'RATCHETING' TO THE RIGHT AND A DECREASE IN ROTOR RPM DURING CRUISE FLT AT 75-100 FT AGL. THE PLT MADE AN AUTOROTATION BUT COULD NOT CUSHION THE LANDING DUE TO THE LOW ALT AND LACK OF ROTOR RPM. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED HARD AND CARTWHEELED. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER REVEALED THE UPPER HOUSING OIL ORIFICE WAS COMPLETELY BLOCKED WITH A FOREIGN MATERIAL WHICH RESULTED IN OIL STARVATION TO THE SECONDARY PLANET SYSTEM. THE FOREIGN MATERIAL WAS ANALYZED AND FOUND TO CONTAIN 'SIGNIFICANT QUANTITIES OF SILICON'.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/12/1986
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 845
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SALINAS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93905
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SALINAS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SNS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 150
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 900 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID SNS
Elevation of weather observation facility 84
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
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) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 169
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1177
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 9 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31537
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 N169HA
NTSB Number LAX86FVM06
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HILLER
Aircraft Model UH21E
Aircraft Series Identifier UH21E
Aircraft Serial Number HA-3069
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 Jul 10 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 183
Airframe Hours 2940
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HELICAIR AG., INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 37 MORTENSEN AVE.
Aircraft Owner City SALINAS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93912
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 HEE-
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City SALINAS
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 835
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --