Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Harrisburg, Arkansas 72432
Thursday, April 12, 1990 1:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID THAT WHILE FLYING AT LOW ALTITUDE OVER A PEACH ORCHARD TO PREVENT FROST DAMAGE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS DIMMED. ALSO, HE REPORTED THAT WITH THE RESTRICTED INSTRUMENT VISIBILITY, THE HELICOPTER 'GOT BEHIND THE POWER CURVE' AND THE ROTOR RPM DECAYED. SUBSEQUENTLY, A RUN-ON LANDING WAS MADE, AND THE HELICOPTER WAS DAMAGED. A POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE GENERATOR HAD FAILED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE GENERATOR, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/12/1990
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 145
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HARRISBURG
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72432
Event Date Year 1990
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 0
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 Night/Dark
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 128
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 12 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40699
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4779U
NTSB Number MKC90LA083
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 47G-2
Aircraft Series Identifier 47G-2
Aircraft Serial Number 622
Certified Max Gross Weight 1755
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 1 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 1450
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BARR, DON M
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT #2
Aircraft Owner City HARRISBURG
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72432
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BARR, DONALD M
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address ROUTE #2
Operator City HARRISBURG
Operator State AR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 72432
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City HARRISBURG
Departure State AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 100
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 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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --