Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St Genevieve, Missouri
Sunday, April 11, 1982 15:15 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT ABOUT 40 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THERE WAS A DROP IN OIL PRESSURE FOLLOWED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BY AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE ENGINE FAILURE OCCURRED OVER A WOODED AREA. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A SMALL CLEARING, BUT THE HELICOPTER STRUCK TREES SHORT OF THE OPENING. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE NO. 5 CONNECTING ROD HAD FAILED AT THE CRANKSHAFT END. IT WAS NOTED THAT A ROD CAP BOLT HAD BROKEN, THE CAP HAD STRAIGHTENED OUT, AND THE ROD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE CRANKSHAFT. A LARGE HOLE WAS FOUND IN THE CRANKCASE AND THE OIL TANK WAS EMPTY. HOWEVER, OIL WAS NOTED INSIDE THE ENGINE AND ON ALL BEARINGS AND JOURNALS EXCEPT THE NO. 5 CONNECTING ROD. ALSO, ALL MAIN BEARINGS AND ALL ROD BEARINGS AND JOURNALS, EXCEPT NO. 5, WERE NORMAL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/11/1982
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1515
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ST GENEVIEVE
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 4
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
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 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 70
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 905
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N87623
NTSB Number MKC82FCA08
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 BELL
Aircraft Model 47G-4
Aircraft Series Identifier 47G-4
Aircraft Serial Number 3140
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection 51
Airframe Hours 3140
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NORTH AMERICAN CORP
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 206
Aircraft Owner City ST. CLAIRE
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63077
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NORTH AMERICAN CORP
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 206
Operator City ST. CLAIRE
Operator State MO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 63077
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 Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City JACKSON
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City ST CLAIRE
Destination State MO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --