Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Summerville, South Carolina 29483
Friday, July 29, 1983 13:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING USED IN CONTROLLED BURNING OF TIMBERLAND. WHILE BEING OPERATED AT AN ALT OF APRX 20 FT OVER WIND ROWS OF ORGANIC MATERIAL, THERE WAS A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENG POWER. THE PLT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN A HOVER, SO HE LANDED ON THE ROUGH TERRAIN. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER & THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE GROUND, DURING AN EXAM OF THE ENG, ALL 8 SPARK PLUGS WERE FOUND WITH EVIDENCE OF LEAD FOULING. IN THE #4 CYLINDER, THE ELECTRODES OF THE BOTTOM PLUG WAS COMPLETELY BRIDGED WITH LEAD. THE PLT STATED THAT THE TOP PLUG IN THAT CYLINDER WAS DIRTY WITH CARBON.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/29/1983
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SUMMERVILLE
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29483
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 7
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1534
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21869
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 N9419F
NTSB Number ATL83LA297
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HUGHES
Aircraft Model 269B
Aircraft Series Identifier 269B
Aircraft Serial Number 65-0206
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Dec 8 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours 2877
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN N. SHELTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 9, POST OFFICE BOX 547
Aircraft Owner City SUMMERVILLE
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29483
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 No
Departure Airport Code 61J
Departure City SUMMERVILLE
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --