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CHI86FA129

1986-04-25 · CHICAGO, Illinois, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport RLA

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

THE AIRCRAFT HAD JUST DISCHARGED TWO PASSENGERS ON THE ROOFTOP HELIPAD AND WAS PREPARING FOR DEPARTURE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS PICKED UP TO A HOVER AND THE TAILROTOR STRUCK A HELIPORT SURFACE PERIMETER LIGHT. THE TAILROTOR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED TO THE RIGHT. THROTTLES WERE REDUCED TO STOP THE ROTATION AND THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED BACK DOWN TO THE HELIPAD. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED SIDE TO SIDE AND ROLLED OFF THE HELIPAD AND CAME TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE. THE PILOT EXITED AND EXTINGUISHED A SMALL FIRE THAT HAD STARTED NEAR THE ENGINE EXHAUST. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1986_CHI86FA129.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.