Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Avenal, California 93204
Monday, August 22, 1983 11:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS DEMONSTRATING AUTOROTATIVE LANDINGS IN A HELICOPTER EQUIPPED WITH HIGH SKID LANDING GEAR. DURING HIS 4TH AUTOROTATION, HE MADE A STRAIGHT-IN APCH & TOUCHED DOWN ON LEVEL, SMOOTH TERRAIN. AS THE HELICOPTER WAS STOPPING, THE HIGH SKID ROTATED REARWARD & THE HELICOPTER PITCHED NOSE DOWN & SLAPPED THE GROUND WITH SUFFICIENT FORCED TO ACTIVATE THE ELT. AS THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN, THE TAIL BOOM ROSE & STRUCK 1 MAIN ROTOR BLADE. THE PLT STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER HAD TOUCHED DOWN SMOOTHLY IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE. HE BELIEVED THAT THE HIGH SKID NEEDED TO BE STRENGTHENED. THE CROSS TUBE ASSEMBLIES WERE NOT DIRECTLY BOLTED AT THE FUSELAGE ATTACHMENT. INSTEAD, THEY CONTAINED NIPPLES WHICH WERE DESIGNED TO RESIST ROTATION WHEN PROPERLY SECURED TO THE FUSELAGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/22/1983
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City AVENAL
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93204
Event Date Year 1983
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1055
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BFL
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 4500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 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) 2213
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22555
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 N3982M
NTSB Number LAX83LA403
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206-B3
Aircraft Series Identifier 206-B3
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SHANAIR INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 9500 AIRPORT DR
Operator City VISALIA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93277
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City AVENAL
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
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 --