- Date
- June 27, 1983, 17:44 local (Jun 28, 1983, 00:44 UTC)
- Place
- Kent, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N652HEnstrom 280C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830627027169A
- Case key
- 39619
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
During a traffic reporting flt for a radio station, the plt noted the onset of a severe vibration which he felt through the antitorque pedals. He stated that within seconds, the helicopter lost directional control & began a rapid, uncontrolled spin to the right. Reportedly, the helicopter tumbled out of control for a time. However, the plt was able to regain partial control as it rolled thru a relatively upright attitude. Before crashing, the rate of descent was slowed with full collective & a rotating impact occurred in a horizontal attitude. An investigation revealed the tail rotor drive shaft spline coupling, pn 28-13609, had become worn. The teeth of the coupling were worn away & there was iron oxide & carbonized lubricant within the coupling. The splined male end of the coupling would rotate within the splined female housing. It had accumulated 149.1 hrs since lubricated. The lubrication chart & check sheet (pages MM-3-5 & MM-3-6 of the maintenance manual) show that the coupling should be lubed at 100 hr intervals
Aircraft
- Registration
- N652H
- Reported as
- Enstrom 280C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1102
- Airframe hours
- 3,362
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-E1BD, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Paul W. Brendle, II
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 27, 1983 · 96 hours before
- Departed
- BFI · Seattle, WA
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
- 36
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,176 total · 5,740 in this make and model · 6,025 as pilot in command · 375 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RNT, 7 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.