Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Huntsville, Alabama 35601
Tuesady, December 25, 1984 16:05 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A POPPING SOUND THEN A LOUD NOISE AND A PUFF OF SMOKE PRECEDED THE HELICOPTER'S FALL TO THE GROUND, STATED A 12 YEAR OLD BOY WHO SAID HE SAW THE ACCIDENT. EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY TRACE OF FIRE. HOWEVER ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE CONTACTED THE LEFT FRONT OF THE COCKPIT AND WRAPPED AROUND UNDER THE HELICOPTER. THE WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER AN AREA 300 X 700 FT. THE PASSENGER HAD ABOUT 65 HOURS OF FLIGHT BUT NO CERTIFICATE AND NO KNOWN HELICOPTER TIME. THE PIC HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD HIS COMMERCIAL ASEL CERTIFICATE REVOKED FOR GIVING FLIGHT INSTRUCTION IN A SMALL AIRPLANE WITHOUT HAVING A CFI RATING. THE PIC HAD REAPPLIED FOR AND HAD BEEN REISSUED HIS COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATE. HE HAD SINCE UPGRADED HIS CERTIFICATE TO AN ATP FOR AMEL, COMMERCIAL FOR ASEL, ASES, AMES AND HELICOPTER. HE ALSO HAD A CFI RATING FOR ASMEL BUT NOT FOR HELICOPTER. HIS FLT EXPERIENCE COULD NOT BE ACCURATELY DETERMINED BECAUSE OF CONFLICTING DATA IN AIRMAN RECORDS AND PILOT LOGS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/25/1984
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1605
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City HUNTSVILLE
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35601
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 12
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 Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1550 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 195
Weather Observation Facility ID HSY
Elevation of weather observation facility 629
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
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) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3157
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27266
Date of most recent change to record Dec 14 2000 3:19PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8475K
NTSB Number ATL85FA067
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 ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R-22 ALPHA
Aircraft Series Identifier R-22 ALPHA
Aircraft Serial Number 391
Certified Max Gross Weight 1370
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 9 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 71
Airframe Hours 3774
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EXECUTIVE AIR, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1427
Aircraft Owner City DECATUR
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35601
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 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 DCU
Departure City DECATUR
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1330
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 --