White Plains Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

White Plains, New York 10602
Tuesady, September 9, 1986 16:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

APRX 12 SECONDS AFTER TAKEOFF WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 400 FT THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A TAIL ROTOR PADDLE SEPARATION. THE YELLOW PADDLE BLADE FAILED FIRST FOLLOWED BY THE RED. THE PLT REPORTED HEARING A LOUD BANG FOLLOWED BY A SEVERE VIBRATION. A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING WAS MADE WITHOUT INCIDENT. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE COMPLETE PADDLE SPAR HAD FAILED AND SEPARATED. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A BIRD STRIKE OR FOD DAMAGE. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLT AFTER THE TAIL ROTOR BLADE ASSEMBLY WAS INSTALLED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/9/1986
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1620
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WHITE PLAINS
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 10602
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WHITE PLAINS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HPN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
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 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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2043
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 9 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32577
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 N93AE
NTSB Number NYC86FA232
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SIKORSKY
Aircraft Model SK-76
Aircraft Series Identifier SK-76
Aircraft Serial Number 760322
Certified Max Gross Weight 7500
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 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 12 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 40
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AMERICAN EXPRESS
Aircraft Owner Street Address WESTCHESTER CO. HANGAR E
Aircraft Owner City WHITE PLAINS
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 10604
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AMERICAN EXPRESS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address WESTCHESTER CO.HANGAR E
Operator City WHITE PLAINS
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 10604
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code HPN
Departure City WHITE PLAINS
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1620
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --