Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brunswick, Georgia 31520
Saturday, July 30, 1983 11:11 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS 'TOPPED OFF' WITH FUEL BEFORE TAKEOFF. ABOUT 1 HR & 10 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF, THERE REPORTEDLY WAS A LOUD 'BANG' WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY SPUTTERING FROM THE ENG & A DECAY IN THE ENG RPM. AN AUTOROTATION WAS MADE INTO A SMALL CLEARING IN A WOODED, SWAMPY AREA. DURING LANDING, THE MAIN ROTOR SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. AN EXAM OF THE ENG WAS MADE, BUT NO DESCREPANCIES THAT WOULD RESULT IN A POWER LOSS WERE FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/30/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1111
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BRUNSWICK
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 31520
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1108 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SSI
Elevation of weather observation facility 20
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1842
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22112
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 N9078
NTSB Number ATL83LA298
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ENSTROM
Aircraft Model F-28A
Aircraft Series Identifier F-28A
Aircraft Serial Number 193
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Jul 28 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 13
Airframe Hours 1748
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHOPPER ONE NIGHT SIGN, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5514 MELODY LANE
Aircraft Owner City ORLANDO
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32809
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 49J
Departure City HILTON HEAD
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code JAX
Destination City JACKSONVILLE
Destination State FL
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 --