Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mesa, Arizona 85201
Friday, July 3, 1992 21:14 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING A TAKEOFF AFTER THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN LOADED WITH ABOUT 60 GALLONS OF INSECTICIDE. THE HELICOPTER ATTAINED AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 50 TO 60 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND WHEN THE WITNESS OBSERVED THE TAIL ROTOR MOVE LATERALLY ABOUT 4 TO 5 FEET. THE WITNESS SAID HE SAW THE AIRCRAFT SETTLE TO THE GROUND AND LAND HARD. HE SAID HE IMMEDIATELY ASKED THE PILOT WHAT HAPPENED. THE PILOT REPORTEDLY TOLD THE WITNESS THAT HE HAD A 'POWER DROOP.' THE CAUSE OF THE PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER WAS NOT DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO UNKNOWN REASON (S). FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE 1) LOW ALTITUDE WHEN THE PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED 2) LOW ROTOR RPM AS A RESULT OF THE LOSS OF POWER, AND 3) THE PILOT NOT BEING ABLE TO TAKE REMEDIAL ACTION DUE TO THE LOW ALTITUDE AND ROTOR RPM.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/3/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2114
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City MESA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85201
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 7
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 Witness
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 Night/Bright
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 36
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 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) 2732
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 4 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 845
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47518
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:05PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4798R
NTSB Number LAX92LA278
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 47G5
Aircraft Series Identifier 47G5
Aircraft Serial Number 7925
Certified Max Gross Weight 2850
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JACK SINTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 337
Aircraft Owner City PASO ROBLES
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93447
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RED MOUNTAIN HELICOPTERS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3132 N. SIOUX
Operator City TUCSON
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85705
Operator Code ONGG
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 2113
Departure Time Zone MST
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 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 --