Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Plainfield, Wisconsin 54966
Sunday, October 27, 1985 7:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT CRASHED INTO TREES AND NOSED INTO THE WOODED TERRAIN AFTER A LOSS OF POWR. THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN REFUELED THE DAY BEFORE THE ACC. NORMAL FUEL LOAD WAS 20 GALS. THE PLT HAD SPRAYED 20 ACRES & FLOWN 9 MILES TO ANOTHER FIELD TO SPRAY BUT ABORTED DUE TO WIND BEFORE A RETURN TO ARPT. THE DAY OF THE ACC THERE IS NO RECORD OF FUELING. THE PLT TOOK UP THE OPERATION WHERE HE HAD STOPPED BUT AFTER SPRAYING 10 ACRES HE STARTED BACK TO BASE. HE HAD FLOWN APRX 1/2 WAY BACK WHEN THE ENG QUIT. WITNESSES ON THE GROUND HEARD THE ENG POP & QUIT & SAW THE ACFT DESCENDING BUT COULD NOT SEE THE ACTUAL IMPACT DUE TO OBSTRUCTING TREES. THE FUEL TANKS OVER THE ENG HAD BUST DURING THE CRASH AND THERE WAS NO FIRE OR EVIDENCE OF FUEL SPILLAGE AT THE SCENE. NO MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES OR HUMAN INPAIRMENT WAS REVEALED DURING THE INVESTIGATION EXCEPT EVIDENCE OF LACK OF FUEL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/27/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 700
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City PLAINFIELD
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54966
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 10
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 651
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID AUW
Elevation of weather observation facility 1201
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1936
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 27 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29289
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 N7840S
NTSB Number CHI86FA017
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bell
Aircraft Model 47G-5
Aircraft Series Identifier 47G-5
Aircraft Serial Number 7861
Certified Max Gross Weight 2850
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 2 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 400
Airframe Hours 4325
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROY W REABE
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 24
Aircraft Owner City WAUPUN
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 53963
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 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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 8WI2
Departure City PLAINFIELD
Departure State WI
Departure Country
Departure Time 627
Departure Time Zone CST
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 Descent
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 --