Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chowchilla, California 93610
Wednesday, April 16, 1986 11:24 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE RETURNING FROM A SPRAYING OPERATION THE PLT OBSERVED THAT THE MAIN TRANSMISSION OIL PRESSURE GAGE INDICATED ZERO. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE MASTER CAUTION DID NOT ILLUMINATE AND THAT THE OIL TEMPERATURE GAGE WAS NORMAL. THE PLT STATED THAT HE DECIDED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE GAGE WAS FAULTY AND ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE FLT. ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER, THE TRANSMISSION OIL TEMP GAGE BEGAN TO RISE RAPIDLY.THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND THE MAIN ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO DECAY. THE PLT, UNABLE TO PERFORM AN AUTOROTATION DUE TO LOW ROTOR RPM EXECUTED A POWER ON LANDING, AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER AT IMPACT. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THE OIL COLLER HOUSING GASKET WAS DAMAGED AND THE TRANSMISSION OIL RESERVOIR DID NOT CONTAIN ANY OIL. THE TRANSMISSION OUTER HOUSING AND PLANETARY GEARS EXHIBITED HIGH TEMPERATURE DISTRESS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/16/1986
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1124
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City CHOWCHILLA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93610
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 4
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 1950 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 315
Weather Observation Facility ID FAT
Elevation of weather observation facility 332
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2650
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 16 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1210
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34036
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N910PD
NTSB Number LAX86DVA06
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model UH-1B
Aircraft Series Identifier UH-1B
Aircraft Serial Number 474
Certified Max Gross Weight 8500
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 Jul 1 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 65
Airframe Hours 9090
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SAN JOAQUIN HELICOPTERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 732
Aircraft Owner City DELANO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93216
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SAN JOAQUIN HELICOPTER, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 386
Operator City DELANO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93215
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City SNELLING
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1115
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DLO
Destination City DELANO
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --