Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jasper, Florida 32052
Wednesday, November 15, 1995 11:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED HE WAS MAKING AN APPROACH FOR LANDING AT A FIELD SITE WHEN THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND ROLLED THE THROTTLE TO THE FULL ON POSITION. THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES AND THE GROUND. REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT LOG BOOKS REVEALED THAT THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED 3 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE CARBURETOR WAS NOT APPROVED FOR USE BY THE FRANKLIN ENGINE COMPANY. EXAMINATION OF THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL VALVE REVEALED AN INCORRECT SPRING INSTALLED, AND THE CARBURETOR HEAT COULD NOT BE ACTIVATED FROM THE COCKPIT. THE CARBURETOR ICING PROBABILITY CHART SHOWS THE POSSIBILITY OF CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS BASED ON THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. PRIOR TO THE APPROACH, THE PILOT HAD COMPLETED THE BEFORE-LANDING CHECK WITHOUT THE AID OF A CHECKLIST, AND THE CARBURETOR HEAT WAS NOT TURNED ON.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF THE CARBURETOR SYSTEM BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL DURING THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WHICH RESULTED IN A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PERFORM AN ADEQUATE PREFLIGHT AND ENGINE RUN-UP, AND THE CARBUETOR ICING CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/15/1995
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City JASPER
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32052
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1555 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID VAD
Elevation of weather observation facility 204
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1183
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 15 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4702S
NTSB Number MIA96LA028
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 47-D1
Aircraft Series Identifier 47-D1
Aircraft Serial Number B-101R
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HOLLY A. MULLIS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1167 TILLMAN ROAD
Aircraft Owner City MOULTRIE
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 31768
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --