Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Belmont, Mississippi 38827
Thursday, September 19, 1996 12:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During an aerial application operation, the pilot was making east and west swath runs. He reported that he had dispensed about half of his load, when he noted a vibration in the tail rotor pedals during a turn-around maneuver. He conducted three more swath runs with the vibration becoming progressively worse during each turn-around. Subsequently, during the fourth turn-around, the tail rotor drive was lost when the tail rotor drive shaft aft universal joint failed. Examination of the universal joint revealed a lack of lubricant, and the tail rotor drive shaft was discolored blue. There was no log book entry to indicate that the universal joint had been lubricated in the 150 plus hours of operation since the last inspection. The manufacturer's recommended maintenance practices included lubrication of the universal joint after each 50 hours of operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of the aft universal joint of the tail rotor drive shaft, due to inadequate lubrication by company maintenance personnel. A factor relating to the accident was the pilot's delay in discontinuing the flight after noting a progressively worse tail rotor drive vibration.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/19/1996
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1245
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BELMONT
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38827
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 9
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 1353 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 245
Weather Observation Facility ID TUP
Elevation of weather observation facility 346
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1156
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 20 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1025
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:21AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N23PH
NTSB Number ATL96LA129
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 47G-4A (SOLOY)
Aircraft Series Identifier 47G-4A (SO
Aircraft Serial Number 7506
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jul 30 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 154
Airframe Hours 9850
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PROVINE HELICOPTER SERVICE,INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 1 BOX 470
Aircraft Owner City GREENWOOD
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38930
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 Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
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
Departure Country
Departure Time 1242
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Emergency landing
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 --