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Atlas / NTSB / NYC89LA141

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event NYC89LA141

1989-05-31 WADING RIVER, New York, United States None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N501RS

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

LEARJET INC 31A

Year of manufacture

2001

Engine

HONEYWELL TFE-731-SER

Seats / Engines

10 seats · 2 engines

Last airworthiness date

20010306

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A63F2F

Registrant of record

N501RS AIRCRAFT INC TRUSTEE

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO CONTROL THE RATE OF DESCENT WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A POWER LOSS DUE TO A COMPRESSOR FAILURE.

Factual narrative

DURING A POWERLINE PATROL, THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER AND MADE A FORCED LANDING NEAR AN ELECTRIC PLANT IN WADING RIVER. THE PILOT SAID THAT AFTER COMPLETING A 180 DEGREE TURN HE HEARD A LOUD BANG AND THE ENGINE OUT LIGHT ILLUMINATED; THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND WHEN POWER WAS ADDED. HE SAID HE ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION WHILE TURNING TOWARD AN OPEN AREA. AT TOUCHDOWN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWN AND CHOPPED THE REAR PORTION OF THE TAIL BOOM. AN ENGINE TEARDOWN WAS PERFORMED AND IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THERE WAS COMPRESSOR FAILURE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_NYC89LA141.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.