Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tallahassee, Florida 32304
Saturday, January 29, 1983 16:50 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH TREES WHILE ON A LOCAL PERSONAL FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THE ACFT WAS FLYING LOW OVERTHE TREES. SEVERAL LOUD BACKFIRES WERE HEARD AND THE HELICOPTER CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA. THE ACFT DESCENDED ALMOST VERTICALLY WITH THE FUSELAGE IN A FLAT LEVEL ATTITUDE. THE LEFT CARBURETOR WAS FOUND SEPARATED AT THE FLOATING FLANGE AND INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE SPARK PLUGS SHOWED EVIDENCE OF LEAN MIXTURE AND HOT COMBUSTION ASSOCIATED WITH INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKAGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/29/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1650
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City TALLAHASSEE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32304
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 1
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 4
Degrees magnetic from airport 330
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1649
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID TLH
Elevation of weather observation facility 80
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4900
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 374
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 20449
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 N5459G
NTSB Number MIA83FA065
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 MBB
Aircraft Model SCORPION TOO
Aircraft Series Identifier SCORPION T
Aircraft Serial Number 576-1476
Certified Max Gross Weight 1235
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 13 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 78
Airframe Hours 78
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLIE G. MESSER
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 4, BOX 389B
Aircraft Owner City TALLAHASSEE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 31304
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1635
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 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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --