Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Goshen, California 93227
Tuesady, May 24, 1983 12:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ABOUT 5 MIN AFTER TAKING OFF, THE PLT NOTICED A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER TO THE TAIL ROTOR. HE MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN AN ALFALFA FIELD. HE REPORTED THAT DURING AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING, HE HAD INSUFFICIENT COLLECTIVE TO FLARE PROPERLY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM, AN EXAM REVEALED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR AFT DRIVE COUPLING, PN 28-13609, HAD FAILED. ALL OF THE INTERNAL GEAR TEETH ON THE FEMALE PORTION OF THE COUPLING WERE STRIPPED. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF INADEQUATE LUBRICATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/24/1983
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1245
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City GOSHEN
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93227
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 5
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 315
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2774
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23069
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 N51763
NTSB Number LAX83LA248
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 ENSTROM
Aircraft Model 280C
Aircraft Series Identifier 280C
Aircraft Serial Number 1153
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 18 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 47
Airframe Hours 1148
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CLARK BROS., INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 1, BOX 202
Aircraft Owner City DOS PALOS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93620
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NORMAN L. CLARK
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 19772 S. ELGIN RD.
Operator City DOS PALOS
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93620
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code VIS
Departure City VISALIA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City DOS PALOS
Destination State CA
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 --