Lemore Nas Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lemoore, California 93245
Thursday, September 18, 1986 5:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT REPTD THAT WHILE RETURNING TO THE LOADING AREA AFTER SPRAYING A FIELD, HE HEARD A LOUD POP EMANATING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER HE OBSERVED A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND LOST FORWARD AND AFT CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER. THE PLT IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ONTO ITS SIDE ON TOUCH DOWN. THE POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION ENGINE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THAT THE NUMBER 3 CONNECTING ROD BOLTS FAILED. FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE REMAINING CON ROD BOLTS TORQUE VALUES WERE ABT 50% LESS THAN THE REQUIRED VALUES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/18/1986
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 530
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LEMOORE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93245
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LEMORE NAS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NLC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 270
Airport Elevation 237
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
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) --
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2519
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 18 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 536
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33448
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 N688SB
NTSB Number LAX86FVA14
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 Ground and In-flight
Aircraft Explosion Ground and In-flight
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HILLER
Aircraft Model UH-12E
Aircraft Series Identifier UH-12E
Aircraft Serial Number 1825
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 18 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 51
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES P. SMITH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4410 LAVENDER CT.
Aircraft Owner City CHINO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91710
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WEST FARM AIR
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 1431
Operator City HURON
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93234
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
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 400
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 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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --