Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lovely, Pennsylvania 15522
Thursday, August 4, 1988 6:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT AND THE OBSERVER/PASSENGER WERE PERFORMING AERIAL APPLICATION OPERATIONS ALONG A POWERLINE RIGHT-OF-WAY WHEN THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN RIGHT AND CLIMB TO AVOID OBSTACLES, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT PRODUCE FULL POWER WHEN HE ADDED FULL THORTTLE. THE HELICOPTER 'SETTLED AND CRASHED' IN AN AREA OF TALL TREES. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION INCLUDED AN ENGINE TEARDOWN, WHICH REVEALED EVIDENCE OF OVERHEATING DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE UNDETERMINED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE PERFORMING LOW LEVEL AERIAL APPLICATION OPERATIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/4/1988
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 630
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LOVELY
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15522
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 Unknown
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 552 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID A00
Elevation of weather observation facility 1504
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2100
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2526
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 4 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42155
Date of most recent change to record Aug 30 2001 11:02AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5375V
NTSB Number NYC88DGM01
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 HILLER
Aircraft Model UH-12E
Aircraft Series Identifier UH-12E
Aircraft Serial Number 2072
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jul 14 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 21
Airframe Hours 8189
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HELICOPTER MINIT-MEN, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 21125
Aircraft Owner City COLUMBUS
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 43221
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 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 LOAD SITE
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --