Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Quitman, Georgia 31643
Thursday, August 1, 1985 12:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PILOT STATED THAT AFTER COMPLETING A LEFT TURN AT THE END OF A COTTON FIELD, THE AIRCRAFT YAWED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT AND THE YAW COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED WITH CYCLIC CONTROL. ANOTHER LEFT TURN AT THE OPPSITE END OF THE FIELD THE AIRCRAFT AGAIN YAWED TO THE LEFT. CONTROL WAS REGAINED AND AS A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING WAS BEING MADE IN THE COTTON FIELD THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE GROUND CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO ROLL ONTO ITS SIDE. POST CRASH INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT'S FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM REVEALED NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE PRECRASH MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/1/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1240
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City QUITMAN
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 31643
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 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 1210 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID VLD
Elevation of weather observation facility 204
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1588
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 1 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28965
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 N31FG
NTSB Number MIA85LA224
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model TH-13T
Aircraft Series Identifier TH-13T
Aircraft Serial Number 3834
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name C AND C FLYING SERVICE,INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 1, BOX 432
Aircraft Owner City VALDOSTA
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 31601
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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 1215
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --