Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Quincy, California 95971
Thursday, September 8, 1983 10:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS ON A FLT TO A RADIO TRANSMITTER SITE AT ABOUT THE 7000 FT LEVEL IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. DURING ARRIVAL TO THE HELIPAD, THE PLT NOTICED THAT SEVERAL VEHICLES WERE PARKED ON THE LANDING SURFACE. WHILE IN A HOVER, HE MANEUVERED THE HELICOPTER TO AN ADJACENT ROAD & BEGAN INSPECTING IT FOR SUITABILITY AS A LANDING AREA. HE DECIDED THAT THE ROAD WAS UNSATISFACTORY & APPLIED POWER & COLLECTIVE TO BEGIN A LEFT CLIMBING TURN. ACCORDING TO ALL STATEMENTS, THE ENG'S RESPONSE TO THE POWER DEMAND WAS A GRADUAL POWER FADE UNTIL IT QUIT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT LANDED HARD IN A BUSH COVERED AREA & WAS DAMAGED. THE ENG WAS EXAMED & OPERATIONALLY TESTED, BUT NO ABNORMALITIES WERE NOTED. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS CALCULATED TO BE ABOUT 7800 TO 8650 FT. ACCORDING TO THE FLT MANUAL, AT THE ESTIMATED WEIGHT, THE HELICOPTER'S HOVERING CEILING WAS 13,000 FT IN GROUND EFFECT & 8300 FT OUT OF GROUND EFFECT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/8/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City QUINCY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95971
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 9
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 7000
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 8651
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2486
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22805
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N619H
NTSB Number LAX83LA429
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-28C
Aircraft Series Identifier F-28C
Aircraft Serial Number 380
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 11 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 101
Airframe Hours 935
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID E. CALDWELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 1, BOX 708E
Aircraft Owner City QUINCY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95971
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 2O1
Departure City QUINCY
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 --