Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. Augustine, Florida 32085
Tuesady, August 25, 1992 9:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE WAS BEGINNING HIS EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATION, THE ENGINE LOST PARTIAL POWER AND HE WAS FORCED TO EXECUTE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. HE STATED THAT HE LANDED HARD IN THE UNIMPROVED AREA, AND THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF THE HARD LANDING. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT A ROCKER ARM FAILED, RESULTING IN THE SEIZURE OF THE EXHAUST VALVE IN THE OPEN POSITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE'S EXHAUST VALVE ROCKER ARM.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/25/1992
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 915
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ST. AUGUSTINE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32085
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 800 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID CRG
Elevation of weather observation facility 20
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 75
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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) 2194
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 25 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46967
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N37800
NTSB Number ATL92LA166
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 SIKORSKY
Aircraft Model UH-19D
Aircraft Series Identifier UH-19D
Aircraft Serial Number 55-4944
Certified Max Gross Weight 7900
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 Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Aug 23 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MITCHELL III, WILLIAM L.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 44 SUNDANCE CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City PARAGOULD
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72450
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MITCHELL III, WILLIAM L.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 44 SUNDANCE CIRCLE
Operator City PARAGOULD
Operator State AR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 72450
Operator Code MHSL
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 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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 828
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 --