Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Milford, Iowa 51351
Wednesday, May 6, 1992 7:35 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER REPORTED A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE PERFORMING AERIAL APPLICATION OF AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AS HE WAS TURNING TO REVERSE DIRECTION BETWEEN SWATH RUNS. THE PILOT STATED HE RETURNED TO LEVEL FLIGHT AND ENTERED AUTOROTATION. HE STATED HIS MAIN ROTOR RPM WAS LOW WHEN HE APPLIED COLLECTIVE PITCH TO CUSHION THE AUTOROTATIVE LANDING AND THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD. DURING TOUCHDOWN THE SKID LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE. NO MECHANICAL DEFECTS WERE DISCOVERED WHEN THE ENGINE WAS EXAMINED AFTER THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON AS THE HELICOPTER WAS PERFORMING AERIAL APPLICATION MANEUVERS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/6/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 735
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MILFORD
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 51351
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 5
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 Not pertinent
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
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 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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2761
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47546
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8286
NTSB Number CHI92DCD04
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HILLER
Aircraft Model UH-12E
Aircraft Series Identifier UH-12E
Aircraft Serial Number 1543
Certified Max Gross Weight 6800
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 Sep 16 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 63
Airframe Hours 4278
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BONANZA VALLEY AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR 1 BOX 24
Aircraft Owner City BENSON
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 56215
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WARREN JACKSON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address RR 1 BOX 24
Operator City BENSON
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 56215
Operator Code PVMG
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 715
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 Maneuvering
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 --