Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Panama City Bch, Florida 32401
Thursday, August 22, 1985 10:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER CONTACTED A FENCE AND SLID NOSE DOWN INTO A RAVINE DURING A FORCED LANDING. THE PLT REPORTED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF AT AN ALT OF 35 TO 40 FT AGL, A LOAD BANG WAS HEARD AND GRAY/WHITE SMOKE WAS EMITTED FROM THE TRANSMISSION/ENG AREA. THE THROTTLE WAS ROLLED OFF AND COLLECTIVE LOWERED FOR THE FORCED LANDING. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE ENG REVEALED 11 SPARK PLUGS WERE MISFIRING AND THE RIGHT MAGNETO 'P' LEAD HAD SHORTED OUT ON THE ENG CASE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/22/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PANAMA CITY BCH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32401
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 1030 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID TLH
Elevation of weather observation facility 20
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 26
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1700
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1894
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 22 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29276
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4253A
NTSB Number MIA85LA237
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 BELL
Aircraft Model 47D1
Aircraft Series Identifier 47D1
Aircraft Serial Number 100
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 30
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHERYL BROWN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4215 VAN COOLEY DR.
Aircraft Owner City PANAMA CITY BCH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32407
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4313 JAN COOLEY DR
Operator City PANAMA CITY
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32407
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
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 --