Event CHI88FA010

1987-10-23 OSHTEMO TOWNSHP, Michigan, United States Airport · AZO Fatal 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N554AC

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

AIRBUS HELICOPTERS EC225 LP

Year of manufacture

2011

TCDS

H4EU · AIRBUS HELICOPTERS

Engine

TURBOMECA MAKILA 2A1 (1746 hp)

Seats / Engines

26 seats · 2 engines

Last airworthiness date

20200316

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A70E4A

Registrant of record

VERTICAL AVIATION NO 1 LLC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N554AC Smith, Ted Aerostar Aerostar 600 Fatal

Factual narrative

THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT CRUISE ALTITUDE (9,000 FEET) FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES WHEN THE PILOT REPORTED THE LOSS OF RIGHT ENGINE POWER. CHICAGO ARTCC REPORTED THE CLOSEST AIRPORT WAS KALAMAZOO, 28 MILES WEST. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DESCEND AND AT 0330:53 CHICAGO ARTCC REPORTED N554AC WAS APPROXIMATELY 6 MILES FROM KALAMAZOO AIRPORT. THE PILOT REPORTED 'MY RIGHT ENGINE COWLING IS GONE...I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GOING TO MAKE IT.' WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT AT 'TREE TOP LEVEL' AND IMPACT IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA NEAR INTERSTATE 94, 5 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED IMPROPERWELD REPAIRS TO THE RIGHT ENGINE CASE AND SEPARATION OF THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER FROM THE CASE DUE TO FATIGUE CRACKING IN THE THROUGH BOLTS AND STUDS. THE TOP SECTION OF THE ENGINE COWLING SEPARATED DUE TO THE FORCE OF THE CYLINDER SEPARATION. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1987_CHI88FA010.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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