Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Panama City Bch, Florida 32407
Thursday, May 29, 1986 13:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD INTENDED TO HOVER THE HELICOPTER AND ALLOW A 'CLOWN' TO TOUCH THE SKIDS WHILE A PHOTOGRAPHER RECORDED THE EVENT LOOKING UPWARD TO GIVE THE APPEARANCE THAT THE 'CLOWN' WAS HANGING FROM THE SKID. THE 'CLOWN' GRABBED THE LEFT REAR SKID AND THE PILOT ADDED POWER AND FULL RIGHT FORWARD CYCLIC CONTROL. THE PILOT THEN ADDED MORE POWER AND LOST PARTIAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE THEN CIRCLED OVER THE HIGHWAY AND THE HELIPORT BUILDING BEFORE CRASHING NOSE LOW INTO AN ADJACENT PARKING LOT. THE 'CLOWN' JUMPED FROM THE HELICOPTER JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/29/1986
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PANAMA CITY BCH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32407
Event Date Year 1986
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 Unknown
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 1346 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 75
Weather Observation Facility ID PFN
Elevation of weather observation facility 55
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1191
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 29 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31550
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 N10065
NTSB Number MIA86LA168
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 47-D1
Aircraft Series Identifier 47-D1
Aircraft Serial Number 830(51-14065
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 May 16 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 71
Airframe Hours 5780
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RODNEY ALLISON
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 4 BOX 528
Aircraft Owner City ENTERPRISE
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36330
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WHIRLEY BIRD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4213 JAN COOLEY DR.
Operator City PANAMA CITY BCH
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32407
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) Aerial Observation
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City PANAMA CITY BCH
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1345
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Descent
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 --