Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Waldo, Florida 32694
Wednesday, February 15, 1984 12:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS BEING USED TO DISPENSE AERIAL INCENDIARY DEVICES (AIDS) TO CONTROL FOREST BURNING. THE AIDS WERE 1.25 INCH DIAMETER POLYSTYRENE BALLS CONTAINING POTASSIUM PERMANGANATE. THEY WERE INJECTED WITH ETHYLENE GLYCOL PRIOR TO BEING DROPPED OUT OF THE ACFT BY A DISPENSING MACHINE. THE MACHINE WAS INSTALLED ON THE CABIN FLOOR IN FRONT OF THE RGT DOOR OPENING. FIRE ERUPTED IN AN EXTRA SUPPLY OF AID BALLS LOCATED IN THE CANOPY BUBBLE FORWARD OF THE SEATS. THE EXTRA AIDS WERE STORED IN PLASTIC BAGS. AFTER THE FIRE ERUPTED, THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A NEARBY ROAD , BUT LOST CONTROL BECAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE CREWMEMBER DID NOT JETTISON THE AID DISPENSER BECAUSE THE FIRE WAS IN THE CANOPY BUBBLE. THE AID BALLS HAD BEEN SHIPPED IN BLACK PLASTIC BAGS & PACKED IN CORRUGATED PAPER CARTONS. THE EXTRA SUPPLIES OF AIDS IN THE ACFT WERE IN THE PLASTIC BAGS THAT HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE CORRUGATED CARTONS. OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS ALLOWED FOR EXTRA CARTONS OF AIDS TO BE CARRIED IN THE CABIN OF THE ACFT, IF THEY WERE SECURELY FASTENED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/15/1984
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City WALDO
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32694
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 2
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1200 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID GNV
Elevation of weather observation facility 155
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
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 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 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 743
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 24448
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 N19MP
NTSB Number MIA84FA078
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 In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HILLER
Aircraft Model UH-12E
Aircraft Series Identifier UH-12E
Aircraft Serial Number 1603
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 27 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 75
Airframe Hours 7415
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WALTER M. MOORE
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 1, BOX 36A
Aircraft Owner City HASTINGS
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32045
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 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 1115
Departure Time Zone EST
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --