Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Stonington, Illinois 62567
Wednesday, May 15, 1985 18:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER COMPLETING A SWATH RUN, THE PLT MANEUVERED THE HELICOPTER UP OVER A POWER LINE, THEN MADE A TURN-AROUND FOR ANOTHER SWATH RUN. HE STATED THAT AS HE STARTED THE NEXT RUN, HE 'FELT THE WIND PUSH THE TAIL UPWARD FORCING THE NOSE DOWNWARD...' HE APPLIED AFT CYCLIC TO LEVEL THE HELICOPTER & FULL COLLECTIVE TO STOP THE DESCENT. HOWEVER, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE, THEN ROLLED FORWARD & CAME TO REST INVERTED. ABOUT 13 MI NORTHEAST AT DECATUR, IL, THE 1800 CDT WIND WAS FROM 280 DEG AT 16 KTS. THE PLT REPORTED THE WIND WAS GUSTING TO 24 KTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/15/1985
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City STONINGTON
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 62567
Event Date Year 1985
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 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 1800 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID DEC
Elevation of weather observation facility 679
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1144
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 16 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 915
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27535
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7485F
NTSB Number CHI85LA197
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HUGHES
Aircraft Model 269
Aircraft Series Identifier 269
Aircraft Serial Number 570599
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 Jan 6 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 47
Airframe Hours 2610
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PERKINSON'S COPTERS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 338
Aircraft Owner City WARRENSBURG
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 62573
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RAY PHILLIPS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 1700
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 Maneuvering
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 --