Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wetumpka, Alabama
Monday, August 2, 1982 7:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AT THE END OF A SPRAY RUN, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. HE STATED THAT THE ENGINE RPM DROPPED TO ZERO, THE AIRSPEED WAS ZERO, AND HE ESTABLISHED AN AUTOROTATION. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN ON ROUGH HILLY TERRAIN, BOUNCED AND ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. LATER, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED, A CRACK WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL SERVO UNIT ADJACENT TO THE MIXTURE ADJUSTMENT. REPORTEDLY, THIS CRACK WOULD HAVE ADMITTED EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF AIR INTO THE SERVO UNIT AND WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A LOSS OF POWER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/2/1982
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 745
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WETUMPKA
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 8
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 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) 74
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2380
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 Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8801F
NTSB Number ATL82DA226
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HUGHES
Aircraft Model 269A
Aircraft Series Identifier 269A
Aircraft Serial Number 112-0135
Certified Max Gross Weight 1575
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 2
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 47
Airframe Hours 4373
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN H. JOHNSTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR. 3, BOX 458J
Aircraft Owner City WETUMPKA
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36092
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN H. JOHNSTON
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address RR. 3, BOX 458J
Operator City WETUMPKA
Operator State AL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 36092
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 Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City WETUMPKA
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 700
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City WETUMPKA
Destination State AL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --