Manasas Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Manassas, Virginia 22110
Friday, November 29, 1985 15:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A SIMULATED STRAIGHT IN AUTOROTATION TO RUNWAY 34L WAS ENTERED FROM FINAL APPROACH BY LOWERING THE COLLECTIVE, AND A PWRRECOVERY WAS PLANNED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE AUTOROTATION. AT ABOUT 150 FEET AGL, THE THROTTLE WAS ROLLED IN TO MATCH THE ENGINE AND ROTOR NEEDLES, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. THE AUTOROTATION WAS CONTINUED TO THE GROUND, AND THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE TERRAIN ABOUT 100 FEET FROM THE RWY 34L THRESHOLD, BOUNCED A FEW FEET IN THE AIR, ROTATED APPROXIMATELY 80-90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT, AND STRUCK THE GROUND AGAIN, COMING TO REST WITH AN APPROXIMATE 240 DEGREE HEADING.THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEVERED AND THE SKIDS WERE SPREAD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/29/1985
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MANASSAS
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22110
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MANASAS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID W10
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 193
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1451 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 9
Weather Observation Facility ID IAD
Elevation of weather observation facility 313
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2463
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 29 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1610
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29871
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 N8499B
NTSB Number BFO86LA007
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 ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R-22
Aircraft Series Identifier R-22
Aircraft Serial Number 0058
Certified Max Gross Weight 1300
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 26 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 1278
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GEORGE SMITH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 144 CLINCH RD.
Aircraft Owner City HERNDON
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22070
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name METROPOLITAN HELICOPTERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 2133
Operator City MANASSAS
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 22110
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1528
Departure Time Zone EST
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 34
Runway Length 3700
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --