- Date
- October 23, 1991, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Beech Grove, IN
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N88SEMcdonnell Douglas MD369D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911023047419A
- Case key
- 15341
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Improper installation of the flight control linkage during maintenance. Complacency and inadequate inspection of the helicopter by maintenance personnel and the pilot are factors in the accident.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The accident helicopter experienced a loss of cyclic pitch control during liftoff to a hover at the start of a business flight. The helicopter pitched up, striking the tail rotor into the ground and then rolled onto its right side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured. On scene inspection of the wreckage showed a flight control linkage disconnect. The missing bolt was found on the ground next to the helicopter. The other connecting hardware was not found. The pilot stated that he did not notice the missing nut during his preflight inspection.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N88SE
- Reported as
- Mcdonnell Douglas MD369D
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 775D
- Airframe hours
- 1,236
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 375 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Miami Valley Services
- Registered owner
- Miami Valley Services
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 26, 1991 · 24 hours before
- Destination
- NONE · Richmond, IN
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 54
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total · 400 in this make and model · 2,800 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,100 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- IND, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N88SE · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.