Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Paradise, Louisiana 70080
Tuesady, June 19, 1990 11:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE LANDING RESULTED IN THE CATASTROPHIC COLLAPSE OF THE LANDING GEAR. THE HELICOPTER WAS NOT OF A STANDARD CONFIGURATION, IT WAS RIGGED WITH EARLY TECHNOLOGY RIDIG FLOATS. THESE FLOATS DRASTICALLY CHANGE THE FLIGHT ENVELOPE OF THE HELICOPTER ESPECIALLY DURING EMERGENCY PROCEDURES SUCH AS AUTOROTATIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY EXECUTE THE AUTOROTATION LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/19/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PARADISE
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70080
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 29
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) --
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) 874
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 19 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1535
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42046
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N115SD
NTSB Number FTW90LA118
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
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 TH13T
Aircraft Series Identifier TH13T
Aircraft Serial Number 3461
Certified Max Gross Weight 2980
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 --
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 CUSTOMER AIR BREWTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1383
Aircraft Owner City BREWTON
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36426
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CUSTOM AIR
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City BREWTON
Operator State AL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 36427
Operator Code CG2G
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
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 Cruise
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 --