- Date
- August 27, 1993, 16:20 local (20:20 UTC)
- Place
- Meriden, CT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N269QEnstrom F28A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930827031609A
- Case key
- 38648
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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
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
During a maintenance test flight the pilot elected to perform a practice autorotation. During the maneuver the engine lost complete power. The helicopter impacted the ground hard, became airborne, the main rotor blades struck the tail boom and separated the boom from the fuselage. A test run performed on the engine revealed no discrepancies.
Factual narrative
On Friday, August 27, 1993, at about 1620 eastern daylight time, an Enstrom F28A, helicopter, N269Q, piloted by Mr. Mark Lavoie, collided with the terrain during a practice autorotation at the Meriden Airport, Meriden, Connecticut. The helicopter was substantially damaged, and the pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR 91.
Maintenance had recently been performed on the helicopter, and the pilot took off for a test flight. The pilot elected to perform a practice autorotation. During this maneuver the engine lost complete power. The helicopter impacted the ground; became airborne; turned 90 degrees; and the main rotor blades struck the tail boom.
According to the pilot's statement on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2:
...entered autorotation at approximately 1,000 feet MSL...all indications and aircraft operation normal...rotor RPM O.K...engine RPM "0". Engine failure verified...ground contact on aft portion of skids...loud "whack" and violent torque twist...
FAA Inspector, Edwin Odell, examined the wreckage after the accident and said that fuel and oil were present. Mr. Odell said, "...no outward sign of mechanical malfunction was noted." All three fuel sumps were drained and according to Mr. Odell, "...a small amount of water was noted at the right fuel tank drain." No water was found at the left fuel tank or sump. The main rotor transmission clutch was disengaged, the engine was test run and no discrepancies were observed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N269Q
- Reported as
- Enstrom F28A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 294
- Airframe hours
- 2,691
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-C1A, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mark Lavoie
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 15, 1993 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- MMK
- Destination
- MMK
- Airport
- MMK · Meriden-Markham, runway 36, 3,100 × 50 ft, macadam
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
- 34
- Certificates
- Private, Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 627 total · 372 in this make and model · 561 as pilot in command · 117 in the last 90 days · 47 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Temperature
- 91 °F
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 N269Q · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.