- Date
- October 22, 1986, 16:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Manhattan, NY
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8617BEnstrom F-28F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 28, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19861022087409A
- Case key
- 30746
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 aircraft was contracted by nbc to make daily highway traffic observations in the new york city area. The pilot and passenger, an nbc radio traffic reporter, were flying in a northerly direction along Manhattan's west side at an altitude of about 75 feet. Witnesses observed the aircraft's main rotor blades stop, the aircraft descended rapidly, struck the top of a chain link fence at a river pier, crashed into the hudson river and sank in 15 to 20 feet of water. Investigation revealed the sprag clutch was inadequately lubricated, had 'rolled over' in the opposite direction of its design and the sprag assembly was damaged. Several sprags and both activating springs were broken and different size sprags were installed. An unauthorized, overhauled clutch had been installed in the aircraft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8617B
- Reported as
- Enstrom F-28F
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 700
- Airframe hours
- 1,828
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-F1AD, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Spectrum Helicopters,Inc.
- Registered owner
- Spectrum Helicopters Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 6, 1986 · 49 hours before
- Departed
- Ridgefield Park, NJ
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
- 30
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,647 total · 51 in this make and model · 1,594 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.