Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Freeport, Illinois 61032
Sunday, August 12, 1984 19:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING USED TO GIVE SIGHT SEEING RIDES AT ALBERTUS AIRPORT. THE TWO PAX ONBOARD ASKED THE PLT TO PROVIDE AN EXCITING RIDE. THE PLT STATED THAT HE INTENDED TO DEMONSTRATE AN AUTOROTATION TO A CORN FIELD AND MAKE A PWR RECOVERY. AFTER FLARING AND APPLYING PWR THE A/C SETTLED INTO THE CORN. AS THE PLT WAS ATTEMPTING TO FLY OUT OF THE CROPS, THE AFT 2 FT OF THE TAIL BOOM AND THE TAILROTOR SEPARATED. HE LOST CONTROL AND THE HELICOPTER SPUN UNTIL IT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/12/1984
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City FREEPORT
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 61032
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 8
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1852 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID RFD
Elevation of weather observation facility 736
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 50
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1455
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 25254
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 N1105X
NTSB Number CHI84LA345
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 HUGHES
Aircraft Model 300/269C
Aircraft Series Identifier 300/269C
Aircraft Serial Number 1025
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 Feb 28 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 42
Airframe Hours 1034
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CRESCENT HELICOPTERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 620 28TH AVE.
Aircraft Owner City BELLWOOD
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FEP
Departure City FREEPORT
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1955
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 --