Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Moundsville, West Virginia 26041
Saturday, December 29, 1984 21:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER CRASHED APRX 1/2 MI FROM THE MARSHALL COUNTY ARPT WHILE ON A PERSONAL FLT. INVESTIGATON REVEALED THAT THE PLT, A DOCTOR WHO SPECIALIZED IN EMERGENCY ROOM PROCEDURES, COMMUTED BETWEEN HOSPITALS LOCATED IN THREE DIFFERENT CITIES. THE PLT HAD BEEN ON CALL OR EN ROUTE BETWEEN THE THREE HOSPITALS FOR 48 OUT OF THE 49 HRS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. AFTER COMPLETION OF A SCHEDULED 12 HR SHIFT AT A WEST VIRGINIA CLINIC, THE PLT HAD TROUBLE STARTING THE ACFT DUE TO A PROBLEM HE IDENTIFIED AS A STICKING BENDIX GEAR ON THE STARTER. DURING THIS TIME THE PLT SAID HE WAS LOW ON FUEL & WAS GOING TO MARSHALL COUNTY FOR FUEL. THE PLT HAD CALLED THE MARSHALL COUNTY ARPT BY TELEPHONE TO ARRANGE FOR FUEL BEFORE DEPARTING. INVESTIGATIVE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE PLT'S ACTIVITIES, SCHEDULES & ASSOCIATED REFUELING ACTIVITIES PRIOR TO THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT INDICATED THAT THERE WAS AN ESTIMATED 2 GALS OF FUEL ON BOARD THE ACFT AT TAKEOFF.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/29/1984
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2100
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MOUNDSVILLE
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 26041
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2055 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID PKB
Elevation of weather observation facility 858
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 47
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
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) 3229
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27395
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 N9030B
NTSB Number ATL85FA070
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 R22
Aircraft Series Identifier R22
Aircraft Serial Number 0055
Certified Max Gross Weight 1300
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 Sep 1 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 38
Airframe Hours 634
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM H. LONGPHRE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 112 MAPLE AVE.
Aircraft Owner City WHEELING
Aircraft Owner State WV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 26003
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 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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code HLG
Departure City WHEELING
Departure State WV
Departure Country
Departure Time 2050
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 74D
Destination City MOUNDSVILLE
Destination State WV
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 --