Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Panama City, Florida 32413
Saturday, June 19, 1993 11:19 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMMERCIAL PILOT STARTED TO TAKE OFF WITH A QUARTERING TAILWIND. HE STATED THAT AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE HELICOPTER ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT & THE ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO DETERIORATE. HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE LOSS OF ROTOR RPM & OBSERVED A FENCE, JUST AHEAD. COLLECTIVE WAS INCREASED TO CLEAR THE OBSTACLE, THEN A RUN-ON LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED. THE RIGHT FRONT SKID HIT A SMALL BUSH, THEN THE HELICOPTER TURNED TO THE RIGHT & COLLIDED WITH A LARGE ROCK COVERED WITH SAND, AND ROLLED OVER ON ITS SIDE. REVIEW OF WEATHER INFORMATION REVEALED NO RECORD OF TURBULENCE, DOWNDRAFTS, GUSTS, OR WINDSHEAR.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM, WHICH RESULTED IN FAILURE OF THE HELICOPTER TO ATTAIN EFFECTIVE TRANSLATIONAL LIFT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE FENCE & TERRAIN CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/19/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1119
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PANAMA CITY
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32413
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 6
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1146 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID PFN
Elevation of weather observation facility 21
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 717
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 19 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1320
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 51277
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3628G
NTSB Number MIA93LA144
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
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
Aircraft Series Identifier 47G
Aircraft Serial Number 808
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
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 HARRIS,JR., DANE H.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 15726 FRONT BEACH ROAD
Aircraft Owner City PANAMA CITY
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32413
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HARRIS, JR., DANE H.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 15726 FRONT BEACH ROAD
Operator City PANAMA CITY
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32413
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 118
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 22 2001 3:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --