- Date
- September 6, 1986, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Abilene, TX
- Injuries
- 6 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5068FHiller FH-1100
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- FAA report
- 19860906045999A
- Case key
- 22088
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 plt was conducting sight-seeing flts from a rodeo/fairground area. During a critical part of a takeoff, a tail rotor blade separated & the plt lost directional control. He attempted an autorotative landing. After spinning around about 3 times, the plt pulled full collective, just before the helicopter crashed, but it was still badly damaged. An investigation revealed that a tail rotor tension-torsion (t-t) bar assembly, pn 24-55106, had failed where the attachment bolt goes thru the t-t straps. A metallurgical exam revealed chlorine rich deposits in the fracture area. The grease from the t-t bar cavity had darkened & the cavity for the other set of t-t straps contained a small amount of fluid with an unpleasant odor. An analysis of the grease revealed excessive amounts of chlorine. There was evidence that water & chlorine contamination had resulted in stress corrosion & eventual failure of the t-t bar assembly.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5068F
- Reported as
- Hiller FH-1100
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 227
- Airframe hours
- 2,530
- Engine
- Allison 250-C18, 274 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jack O. Canon
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 22, 1986 · 68 hours before
- Departed
- AB1
- Destination
- AB1
- Airport
- ABI · Abilene
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
- 60
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 4,870 total · 236 in this make and model · 4,315 as pilot in command · 39 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AB1, 3 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 N5068F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.