Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Indiantown, Florida 33456
Tuesady, August 5, 1986 12:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AERIAL APPLICATION HELICOPTER CRASHED JUST AFTER LIFT-OFF AFTER SUSTAINING A POWER FAILURE, THE PLT STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THE REASON FOR THE FAILURE COULD HAVE BEEN FUEL STARVATION SINCE HE HAD OBSERVED SOME FOREIGN MATTER IN THE FUEL WHEN HE DRAINED THE SUMP DURING THE PREFLT INSPECTION OF THE ACFT. A POST ACCIDENT EXAM REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY FUEL ODOR OR FUEL SPILL IN OR AROUND THE CRASH SITE. ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE GASCOLATOR. THERE WAS NO FUEL PRESENT IN THE TANK ALTHOUGH THE FUEL TANK WAS ON ITS SIDE AND THE CAP WAS MISSING FROM THE TANK. NO EVIDENCE OF ANY WATER OR FOREIGN MATTER WAS DETECTED IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE FLT WAS OPERATING CONTRA TO FAR PART 137, IN THAT THE OPERATOR DID NOT HAVE A FAA CERTIFICATE FOR AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/5/1986
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City INDIANTOWN
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33456
Event Date Year 1986
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 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 1153 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 135
Weather Observation Facility ID PBI
Elevation of weather observation facility 19
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 38
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 30000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1362
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 5 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31754
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 N9086T
NTSB Number MIA86LA228
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 CONTINENTAL COPTERS
Aircraft Model TOMCAT MK5A
Aircraft Series Identifier TOMCAT MK5
Aircraft Serial Number CCI-78-1
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 25 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 53
Airframe Hours 1953
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TRI-STATE HELICOPTER, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 1
Aircraft Owner City DONALSONVILLE
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 31745
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GLADES GROUND SPRAYING,INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 585 1/2 E. MAIN ST.
Operator City PAHOKEE
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33476
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 Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
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 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 --