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NYC89LA139

1989-06-30 · SOUTHAMPTON, Massachusetts, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

IMPROPER MAINTENANCE WHICH RESULTED IN A SECTION OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER FAILING INFLIGHT.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT SAID HE HEARD A NOISE AND THEN THE NOSE OF THE HELICOPTER YAWED TO THE RIGHT. WITNESSES SAID THEY SAW PIECES FALL FROM THE HELICOPTER AS IT CAME DOWN AND PART OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER WITH THE TAIL SKID WAS FOUND HALF A MILE AWAY. THE PILOT ENTERED AUTOROTATION AND ATTEMPTED TO KEEP THE SKIDS LEVEL. THE AIRCRAFT WENT DOWN INTO THE TREES, HIT THE GROUND AND ROLLED OVER ON ITS SIDE. AN UNAUTHORIZED REPAIR ON THE VERTICAL STABILIZER FAILED ALLOWING THE PIECE TO HIT THE TAILROTOR AND CAUSED A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_NYC89LA139.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

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