Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grand Lake, Louisiana 70631
Sunday, June 23, 2002 11:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot had just finished spray operations prior to taking two passengers to look over a marsh area he had just sprayed for them. As the helicopter was equipped with dual controls, the pilot cautioned the passengers not to touch anything. When the pilot brought the helicopter to a hover, approximately 6 to 12 inches off the ground, the helicopter tilted forward. The pilot added aft cyclic, but the helicopter continued to tilt forward. He attempted to add more aft cyclic, but felt the cyclic bind up and could not move it aft any further. The pilot lowered the collective in an attempt to land, but the helicopter tilted to the right. The right skid dug into the ground, and the helicopter experienced a dynamic rollover, coming to rest on its right side where it caught fire and was destroyed.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's inability to control the helicopter in a hover due to the restricted movement of the cyclic for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/23/2002
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Grand Lake
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70631
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 300200N
Event Location Longitude 0931612W
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 1653 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 20
Weather Observation Facility ID LCH
Elevation of weather observation facility 15
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.05
Density Altitude (feet) 1768
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 12804
NTSB Notification Source FAA Communication Center
NTSB Notification Date Jun 23 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1229
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 1 2003 4:20PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N62446
NTSB Number FTW02LA186
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bell
Aircraft Model 47G4
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 7655
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Deep South Helicopters, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7420 Ardion Road
Aircraft Owner City Jennings
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70456
Operator is an individual? No
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 D04G
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Aerial Observation
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Hackberry
Departure State LA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Hover
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Dec 10 2002 7:38PM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --