Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chamblee, Georgia 30341
Sunday, August 4, 1985 1:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

REPORTEDLY, THE PLT & PASSENGERS HAD GONE TO A LOCAL ESTABLISHMENT, WHERE THE ENTIRE PARTY HAD CONSUMED AN UNSPECIFIED AMOUNT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. ONE PASSENGER REPORTED THAT AFTER ARRIVING AT THE ARPT, THE PLT MADE A WALK-AROUND INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER, & BEFORE TAKING OFF, HE PERFORMED AN ENG RUN-UP. SHORTLY AFTER THE ACFT HAD DEPARTED, THE LEFT CHIP DETECTOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED & THE PLT PROCEEDED TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, THE RIGHT CHIP DETECTOR LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED, THEN BOTH ENGS LOST POWER. THE PLT ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION, BUT WHILE AVOIDING POWER LINES, AVAILABLE LIFT WAS EXPENDED & THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD. THE OCCUPANTS RECEIVED SERIOUS BACK INJURIES DURING THE LANDING. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN PARKED OUTSIDE THE HANGER FOR CONTINUING REPAIRS & THE OIL SUPPLY LINES TO THE SENSORS HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED. SUBSEQUENTLY, OIL WAS LOST THRU THE DISCONNECTED LINES & BOTH ENGS HAD FAILED. A CHECK OF THE PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.04%

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/4/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 130
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CHAMBLEE
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30341
Event Date Year 1985
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 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 10
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 150 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID FTY
Elevation of weather observation facility 840
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 250
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 6
Injury Total All 6
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2043
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 4 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29437
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 N299FE
NTSB Number ATL85FA234
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model AS-355F
Aircraft Series Identifier AS-355F
Aircraft Serial Number 5152
Certified Max Gross Weight 5070
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 24 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 870
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name METRO AMBULANCE SERVICE,INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX-195
Aircraft Owner City MARIETTA
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30061
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
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 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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PDK
Departure City CHAMBLEE
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 125
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 --