Enstrom F-28A N9583

Summary

On 31 October 1987 at about 21:58 local time, a Enstrom F-28A registered N9583 was involved in an accident near Lapeer, Michigan, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

31 October 1987 at 21:58

Classification

Accident

Location

Lapeer, Michigan, United States

Coordinates

43.0390, -83.3203

Aircraft

Enstrom F-28A

Registration

N9583

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Romeo → Lupton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI88LA014

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HELICOPTER WAS IN CRUISE FLT WHEN THE RGT SIDE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER ATTACH TUBE FAILED & SEPARATED FROM THE TAIL BOOM, THEN CONTACTED THE TAIL ROTOR. THIS RESULTED IN FAILURE OF THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT FLEX COUPLING AT THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX. IN TURN, THERE WAS A LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR THRUST. THE PLT MADE A SUCCESSFUL AUTOROTATION IN AN OPEN FIELD. AN EXAM OF THE RGT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER ATTACH TUBE REVEALED IT HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE AT THE RGT INBOARD ATTACH HOLE. THE FATIGUE ORIGINATED AT A SURFACE DEFECT ON THE OUTER DIAMETER OF THE TUBE WHICH WAS CAUSED BY MISALIGNED DRILLING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.