Continental Copters MK5A accident near Cranesville, Pennsylvania, September 28, 1990
On September 28, 1990 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Continental Copters MK5A (helicopter), registered N9024T, was destroyed in an accident near Cranesville, Pennsylvania. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AFTER THE LOSS OF A PORTION OF THE CYCLIC CONTROL ASSEMBLY; THIS RESULTED IN GROUND IMPACT AND POST-IMPACT FIRE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 28, 1990 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cranesville, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Continental Copters MK5A
- Registration
- N9024T · no longer on the register · serial CCI-74-6
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD FINISHED A SPRAY SWATH AND INITIATED A 'CYLIC CLIMB' TO CLEAR TREES AT THE END OF THE FIELD. HE REPORTED HEARING A NOISE 'AS IF SOMETHING BROKE' JUST AFTER THE HELICOPTER CLEARED THE TREES. THE HELICOPTER YAWED RIGHT AND PITCHED DOWN. THE PILOT APPLIED LEFT RUDDER PEDAL AND FULL AFT CYCLIC IN AN ATTEMPT TO RECOVER, BUT THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND AT THE EDGE OF THE WOODED AREA. POST-IMPACT FIRE ENSUED. INVESTIGATORS FOUND NO INDICATION OF PRE-IMPACT POWER LOSS OR LOSS OF TAIL SECTION CONTINUITY. EXAMINATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS TO THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM REVEALED THAT A NUT AND BOLT WERE MISSING FROM ONE END OF THE FORE AND AFT CYCLIC CONTROL ROD.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,200 hours in all; 1,900 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 2,076 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,575 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 7, 1989; 288 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-A1F (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.