Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Key Colony Bch., Florida 33051
Saturday, October 24, 1987 14:06 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED THAT HE DID NOT CHECK THE FUEL SYSTEM FOR CONTAMINATES AFTER REFUELING BUT AN EIGHTEEN MINUTE FLT AFTER REFUELING WAS UNEVENTFUL. HE THEN LANDED THE HELICOPTER, REMAINED ON THE GROUND APRX 20 MINUTES, PERFORMED A WALK AROUND INSP, AGAIN WITHOUT CHECKING THE FUEL SYSTEM, THEN DEPARTED ON A SIGHTSEEING FLT ALONG THE SHORELINE. WHILE IN CRUISE FLT AT APRX 500 FT THE ENG QUIT. AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING IN THE WATER WAS PERFORMED WITH NO DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER BUT THE PLT THEN ROLLED IT TO THE RT TO STOP THE ROTATION OF THE BLADES TO EXIT FROM ACFT. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. ACCORDING TO A MECHANIC THE ENG QUIT DUE TO WATER AND FUEL CONTAMINATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/24/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1406
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City KEY COLONY BCH.
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33051
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 10
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1348 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 255
Weather Observation Facility ID EYW
Elevation of weather observation facility 4
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 42
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1700
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1982
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 24 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35411
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:55PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N73201
NTSB Number MIA88LA018
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 47J-2
Aircraft Series Identifier 47J-2
Aircraft Serial Number 1849
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 5 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 55
Airframe Hours 12875
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name OZARK MOUNTAIN HELICOPTERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 519
Aircraft Owner City BRANSON
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 65616
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MICHAELSON, HARLYN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 218
Operator City KEY COLONY BCH.
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33051
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1355
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Aug 22 2001 3:51PM
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 Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --