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MIA90LA182

1990-09-11 · FORT PIERCE, Florida, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport FPR

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO SEPARATION OF THE PACKING SEAL WHICH SEALS THE DISTRIBUTION ZONE PIPE TO THE INLET MANIFOLD, FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING.

Factual narrative

THE CFI STATED THAT HE WAS TEACHING LOW ROTOR RPM RECOVERY TECHNIQUES DURING CLIMB OUT AFTER TAKEOFF. THE STUDENT WAS TO TAKE THE CONTROLS & RECOVER THE HELICOPTER TO A 4 FT HOVER. AT 30 FT, WITH THE ROTOR RPM AT 2,900, THE STUDENT TOOK CONTROL & OPENED THE THROTTLE BUT PULLED COLLECTIVE. THE ENG RPM DROPPED BELOW 2,500. THE CFI TOOK THE CONTROLS, VERIFIED THAT THE THROTTLE WAS OPENED & LOWERED COLLECTIVE. DURING THE RUN-ON LANDING AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE TAIL BOOM. EXAM OF THE ENG BY A MECHANIC WITH INSPECTION AUTHORIZATION REVEALED THAT ONE OF THE PACKING SEALS WHICH SEAL THE DISTRIBUTION ZONE PIPE TO THE INLET MANIFOLD, SEPARATED FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS RESULTING IN THE PARTIAL LOSS OF ENG POWER. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_MIA90LA182.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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