Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sturgis, South Dakota 57785
Wednesday, August 10, 1988 18:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS ON A FLT WITH 2 PAX TO TAKE PICTURES. HE STATED THAT 'WHILE IN LEVEL FLIGHT AT 120 MPH AND 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, A PITCH OVER WAS INITIATED FOR PICTURE TAKING. AT THAT MOMENT, IT APPEARED THAT THE FUEL FLOW CAVITATED. THE FORWARD FUEL PUMP WAS DETERMINED TO BE INOPERATIVE JUST BEFORE THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN, BY THE WARNING LIGHT AND THE AUDIO ENGINE WARNING HORN. A FULL SAFE AUTOROTATION WAS PERFORMED TO TOUCHDOWN IN A FIELD, 1/4 MILE FROM WHERE THE ENGINE QUIT. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE HELICOPTER ROCKED FORWARD AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM.' A POST-ACDNT INSPN VERIFIED THAT THE ELECTRICAL FUEL BOOST PUMP WAS INOP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/10/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City STURGIS
Event State SOUTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 57785
Event Date Year 1988
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1800
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 6200
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1149
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 11 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37242
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N49727
NTSB Number DEN88LA180
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 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B
Aircraft Serial Number 1955
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 26 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 5700
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RAY BURNEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10658 EAST SLEEPY HOLLOW
Aircraft Owner City APACHE JUNCTION
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85219
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City STURGIS
Departure State SD
Departure Country
Departure Time 1825
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 --