- Date
- March 19, 1997, 23:13 local (Mar 20, 1997, 04:13 UTC)
- Place
- Cleveland, OH
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N892CPSchweizer 269C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report April 15, 1999
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970319003379A
- Case key
- 28141
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
The engine failure from the rod cap bolt being sheared and the separation of the number two cylinder separating from the crankcase.
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 pilot stated while on patrol 'at about 500 feet above ground level, the helicopter experienced major engine failure'. The pilot attempted to autorotate the helicopter to a vacant parking lot. Upon impact, the tail rotor snapped off and the helicopter turned 180 degrees to the left. Examination of the engine found the number two cylinder had separated from the engine block and the rod cap bolt had been sheared. Maintenance records show the removal and reinstallation of the number one cylinder at 646.2 hours since overhaul which was 66.6 hours prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
On March 19, 1997, at about 2313 eastern standard time, a Schweitzer 268C helicopter, N892CP, operated by the City of Cleveland as a police helicopter, crashed into a vacant parking lot while on routine patrol in Cleveland, Ohio. The flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR 91. The pilot and passenger both stated that they heard a loud noise and the engine quit. The pilot executed an autorotation into a parking lot causing substantial damage to the helicopter. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight.
The pilot stated while on patrol over the city of Cleveland "at about 500 feet above ground level, the helicopter experienced major engine failure". The pilot attempted to autorotate the helicopter to a vacant parking lot. Upon impact, the tail rotor snapped off and the helicopter turned 180 degrees to the left.
Examination of the engine by NTSB, Textron Lycoming, G&W aircraft, and Cleveland Police Department found the number two cylinder had separated from the engine block and the rod cap bolt had been sheared. There were indications of wear to the number two cylinder deck and number two barrel flange. There was also heavy fretting to the number two and number three bearing crankcase saddles. Maintenance records show the removal and reinstallation of the number one cylinder at 646.2 hours since overhaul which was 66.6 hours prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N892CP
- Reported as
- Schweizer 269C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1423
- Airframe hours
- 4,734
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft · Part 91
- Operator
- City Of Cleveland
- Registered owner
- City Of Cleveland
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · January 31, 1997 · 18 hours before
- Departed
- BKL · OH
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- BKL · Burke Lakefront
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
- 53
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 2,861 total · 2,346 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,000 ft broken
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BKL
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.