Rogers Heliport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

East Clovis, California 93612
Tuesady, August 27, 1985 8:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS BEING FLOWN FOR A MAINTENANCE CK. WHILE CLIMBING AT ABOUT 50 FT AGL A BANG WAS HEARD AND ENG RPM DECREASED. PLT INITIATED AUTOROTATION AND ATTEMPTED A FLARE AT ABOUT 20 FT AGL. THE TAIL ROTOR HIT AND THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE AFTER HITTING ON THE SKIDS WITH THE ENG RPM INCREASING AGAIN. THE ACFT BEGAN TO SPIN TO THE RT ANC CAME TO REST UPRIGHT. AN ENG TEARDOWN SHOWED THE COMPRESSOR AND STATORS HAD ERROSION DAMAGE. THE ACFT HAD JUST HAD MAINTENANCE PERFORMED AND WAS UNDERGOING A FLT TEST POWER CHECK WHEN THE ACC OCCURRED. THE PLT SAID THE ENG 'QUIT' AND HE THOUGH IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A COMPRESSOR STALL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/27/1985
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City EAST CLOVIS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93612
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ROGERS HELIPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 300
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1551 Z
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID FAT
Elevation of weather observation facility 332
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation Z
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
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 --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2764
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 27 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 850
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30510
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 N204RH
NTSB Number LAX85LVA04
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91F: Special Flt Ops.
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 204-B
Aircraft Series Identifier 204-B
Aircraft Serial Number 2025
Certified Max Gross Weight 8500
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 9
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 13 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 59
Airframe Hours 11225
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROGERS HELICOPTER, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 4
Aircraft Owner City CLOVIS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93613
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code CUCA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation External Load
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 --