Agusta A109 incident near Lincoln, Nebraska, March 30, 1987
On March 30, 1987 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Agusta A109 (helicopter), registered N4GH, suffered minor damage in an incident near Lincoln, Nebraska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 1987 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lincoln, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Agusta A109 · all A109s on the register
- Registration
- N4GH · registry record · serial 7151
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PIC STATED THAT HE WAS GROUND TAXIING THE HELO TO THE RAMP AREA AT DUNCAN AVIATION TO SHUTDOWN FOR REFUELING. DURING THE TAXI, THE PIC HEARD A LOUD 'BANG' EMINATING FM THE REAR OF THE HELO. THE PIC LOWERED COLLECTIVE PITCH AND NO FURTHER NOISE WAS HEARD AND NO VIBRATION WAS FELT. THE PIC RE-APPLIED COLLECTIVE PITCH TO MOVE FORWARD WHEN THE HELO BEGAN TO YAW AND VIBRATE. AT THIS POINT THE PIC LOWERED COLLECTIVE TO FLAT PITCH AND SHUTDOWN THE ENG. REMOVAL REVEALED A BROKEN PORTION OF THE T/R DRIVESHAFT ABOUT 1 FT FORWARD OF THE GEARBOX. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION BY THE NTSB LAB AND AN INDEPENDENT METALLURGIST CONCLUDED THAT THE DRIVESHAFT FAILED IN A MANNER CHARACTERISTIC OF TORSIONAL OVERLOAD. THE PIC STATED THAT NO CONTACT WITH THE GRND OR STATIONARY OBJECT HAD OCCURRED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,334 hours in all; 68 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 8,012 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,023 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 14, 1986; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,730 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Omaha NE at 8:40 pm
- Destination: LNK Lincoln NE
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.