Sikorski Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Milford, Connecticut 06460
Saturday, January 8, 1983 14:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH A TELEPHONE POLE DURING AN AUTOROTATION FORCED LANDING AFTER AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CRUISING AT 500 FEET WHEN THERE WAS AN AUDIBLE DECREASE IN MAIN ROTOR AND ENGINE RPM. THE ROTOR RPM WAS BETWEEN 80-85 PERCENT WHEN THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TOOK CONTROL FROM THE STUDENT. DURING AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING, THE INSTRUCTOR MANEUVERED TO AVOID WIRES WHILE LANDING ON A DOWNHILL STREET, AWAY FROM AUTOMOBILE TRAFFIC. THE AUTOROTATION WAS ALMOST COMPLETE WHEN THE ROTOR STRUCK A TELEPHONE POLE AND ROLLED THE AIRCRAFT ON ITS SIDE. THE LOW RPM WARNING HORN AND CAUTION LIGHT DID NOT WORK AS PROGRAMMED. THE BATTERY TERMINAL WERE FOUND CORRODED AND THE BATTERY VOLTAGE WAS FOUND TO BE LOW. ELECTRICAL WIRE #19 WAS FOUND DISCONNECTED FROM THE ALTERNATOR SWITCH WHERE THE WIRE HAD BEEN SOLDERED TO THE SWITCH. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE SOLDER ADHESION WAS GOOD, BUT THE WIRE HAD NOT BEEN PASSED THRU THE TERMINAL POST & WRAPPED BEFORE IT WAS SOLDERED. NO OTHER PREIMPACT MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES WERE FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/8/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MILFORD
Event State CONNECTICUT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 06460
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SIKORSKI MEMORIAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BDR
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 60
Airport Elevation 10
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1400 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID BDR
Elevation of weather observation facility 10
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
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) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
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) 259
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 20419
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 N9017Y
NTSB Number NYC83FA052
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 R22
Aircraft Series Identifier R22
Aircraft Serial Number 0016
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 23 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours 1087
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIRKING INDUSTRIES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 55 SCENIC HILL ROAD
Aircraft Owner City TRUMBULL
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06611
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KELAIRE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address SIKORSKY MEMORIAL AIRPORT
Operator City STRATFORD
Operator State CT
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 7B9
Departure City ELLINGTON
Departure State CT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BDR
Destination City STRATFORD
Destination State CT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --