Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mack, Colorado 81525
Saturday, May 13, 1989 7:48 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING A SWATH RUN HE LET THE HELICOPTER GET TOO LOW AND THE SKIDS CONTACTED THE ALFALFA CROP FOLLOWED BY THE SPRAY APPARATUS. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO GAIN ALTITUDE AND THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TO DESCEND INTO THE GROUND AND ROLLED OVER. AN EYE-WITNESSES CONCURRED WITH THE PILOT'S STATEMENT BUT DECLINED TO GIVE A WRITTEN STATEMENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE DURING A SWATH RUN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/13/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 748
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City MACK
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81525
Event Date Year 1989
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 752 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID GJT
Elevation of weather observation facility 4586
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 9000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 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) 333
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 13 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38712
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5594N
NTSB Number DEN89DTM02
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 1453
Certified Max Gross Weight 2850
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 22 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 4313
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GARLITZ AND SERVE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1824 1/2 J 2/10 ROAD
Aircraft Owner City FRUITA
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81521
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City MACK
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --