Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

La Belle, Florida 33935
Wednesday, April 22, 1992 7:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED THAT THE FLT PATH OF THE HELICOPTER WAS PERPENDICULAR TO POWER LINES THAT WERE AHEAD. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED AND HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION & THE ENG QUIT. HE PULLED THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL & CLEARED THE POWER LINES THEN LOWERED IT, & PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH THE GROUND, PULLED THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL TO CUSHION THE IMPACT. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD, BOUNCED, TOUCHED DOWN, ROLLED OVER ON THE LT SIDE, THEN NOSED OVER & CAME TO REST INVERTED. A SMALL FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS WHO RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE ENG WAS REMOVED & SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER'S FACILITY FOR EXAMINATION. EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT A MOUNTING BOSS ON THE AIR DIFFUSER FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE. THE LINE ATTACHED TO THE BOSS WAS THE INTERSTAGE BLEED AIR LINE. ALSO, A POWER TURBINE BLADE FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE. REVIEW OF THE ENG LOGBOOKS REVEALED THAT THIS ENG WAS REMOVED FROM ANOTHER HELICOPTER & INSTALLED IN THIS HELICOPTER 6 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE ENG HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT 10 HRS SINCE THEN & 703 HRS SINCE MAJOR OVERHAUL. ACCORDING TO THE ENG DAILY INSPECTION CHECKLIST, THE AIR DIFFUSER EXTERNAL VANE BRAZEMENTS SHOULD BE CHECKED FOR CRACKS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND, IN HIS FAILURE TO IDENTIFY A CRACK IN A BRAZED AREA SURROUNDING AN ATTACH POINT ON THE AIR DIFFUSER. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT FOLLOWING THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WAS OBSTACLES THAT WERE AHEAD OF THE FLIGHT PATH.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/22/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 710
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LA BELLE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33935
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 4
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1926
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4028F
NTSB Number MIA92LA111
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model UH-1B
Aircraft Series Identifier UH-1B
Aircraft Serial Number 62-1948HC
Certified Max Gross Weight 8500
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 27 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 31
Airframe Hours 6979
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HELICORP, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1380
Aircraft Owner City LA BELLE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33935
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name COLONY SERVICES, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3035 DELLWOOD TERRACE
Operator City LA BELLE
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33935
Operator Code COOG
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 700
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --