Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Atmore, Alabama 36502
Friday, November 12, 1993 10:15 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
AFTER LIFTOFF WITH A LONG LINE EXTERNAL LOAD, THE HELICOPTER WAS CLIMBED VERTICALLY TO ALLOW THE LOAD TO CLEAR TREES AROUND THE REMOTE OPERATING SITE. ABOUT 250 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND THE ENGINE QUIT. ROTOR SPEED WAS DECAYED DURING THE AUTOROTATION, TO OVERFLY THE TREES AND REACH A DIRT ROAD. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD ON THE ROAD AND CLIPPED TREES WITH THE MAIN ROTOR. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE HELICOPTER'S FUEL SYSTEM WAS FOUND TO CONTAIN WATER. THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN FUELED FROM PORTABLE DRUMS, AT THE REMOTE SITE, THAT HAD NO FILTER TO PRECLUDE WATER ENTERING THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION. FACTORS WERE THE LACK OF A FILTER ON THE REFUELING PUMP WHICH WOULD PRECLUDE WATER PASSAGE, AND THE HIGH TREES.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/12/1993 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1015 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | ATMORE |
| Event State | ALABAMA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 36502 |
| Event Date Year | 1993 |
| 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 | 952 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 220 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MOB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 218 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 45 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 25000 |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 14 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 100 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| 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 | 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) | 2096 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 12 1993 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1625 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 11 2000 1:45PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3078G |
| NTSB Number | ATL94LA014 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load |
| 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-3B-1 SOLOY |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 47G-3B-1 S |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2925 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2950 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 11 1993 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 9 |
| Airframe Hours | 6367 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | THUNDERBIRD HELICOPTERS, INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 13328 6200 ROAD BOX 520 |
| Aircraft Owner City | MONTROSE |
| Aircraft Owner State | CO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 81401 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | TESTA, LOUIS V. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | POST OFFICE BOX 520 |
| Operator City | MONTROSE |
| Operator State | CO |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 81402 |
| Operator Code | |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| 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) | Other Work Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | NONE |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1115 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| 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 | Takeoff |
| 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 | -- |