Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hughesville, Pennsylvania 17737
Wednesday, May 15, 1991 8:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS RETURNING TO WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA TO REFUEL AND PICK UP CHEMICALS TO SPRAY GYPSY MOTHS WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED. HE STARTED AUTOROTATING AT ABOUT 500 FEET AGL. THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH TREES AT THE EDGE OF A FOREST. A WITNESS SAID THAT THE HELICOPTER MADE A RIGHT TURN ABOUT 10 FEET OVER A FIELD AS IF TO LAND AND THEN PROCEEDED DOWN THE GULLY TOWARDS THE WOODS. HE THEN HEARD THE CRASH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS AND THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF THE FORCED LANDING AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/15/1991
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 800
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City HUGHESVILLE
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17737
Event Date Year 1991
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 305
Weather Observation Facility ID IPT
Elevation of weather observation facility 600
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
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 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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1959
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46009
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:02AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2619B
NTSB Number NYC91DGT03
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 47-G3B1
Aircraft Series Identifier 47-G3B1
Aircraft Serial Number 2806
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 19 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 27
Airframe Hours 9289
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AGRICULTURAL HELICOPTER SERV.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 2, BOX 425
Aircraft Owner City TALLAHASSEE
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36078
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AGRICULTURAL HELICOPTER SERV.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address RT 2, BOX 425
Operator City TALLAHASSEE
Operator State AL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 36078
Operator Code
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 No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City HUGHESVILLE
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 800
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code IPT
Destination City WILLIAMSPORT
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --