Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Diego, California 92112
Sunday, March 31, 1985 12:32 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING FLT, THE ENG LOST POWER & THE PLT BEGAN AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING IN A PARKING LOT. DURING THE APCH, HE MANEUVERED TO AVOID A 100 FT CRANE. AS THE HELICOPTER WAS APPROACHING THE INTENDED TOUCHDOWN POINT, A VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN INTO THE FLT PATH OF THE ACFT. TO AVOID THE VEHICLE, THE PLT INCREASED THE COLLECTIVE TO EXTEND THE GLIDE PATH. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER LOST ROTOR RPM BEFORE TOUCHDOWN & LANDED HARD. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT AN IMPROPER PART (AN OIL LINE) HAD BEEN SUBSTITUTED FOR THE 'COMPRESSOR TO FUEL CONTROL PRESSURE SENSING' LINE (PN 6848471). THE LINE HAD FRACTURED AT A B-NUT WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF POWER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/31/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1232
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SAN DIEGO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92112
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 3
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 4
Degrees magnetic from airport 220
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1152 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 149
Weather Observation Facility ID SAN
Elevation of weather observation facility 15
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 700
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 1
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 470
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 3 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1335
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27755
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1434W
NTSB Number LAX85LA194
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 206A
Aircraft Series Identifier 206A
Aircraft Serial Number 366
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4955
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TED T KENNEDY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3642 BOULDER HWY 2
Aircraft Owner City LAS VEGAS
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89121
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BLUE BIRD EXPRESS HELICOPTERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 8865 BALBOA SUITE
Operator City SAN DIEGO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92123
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MYF
Departure City SAN DIEGO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1215
Departure Time Zone PST
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 Aug 22 2001 3:55PM
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 Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --