Private Helipad Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Medora, North Dakota 58645
Thursday, July 29, 1982 12:27 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING FLT THE PLT NOTICED THAT ENG RPM WAS ABOUT 500 OVER ROTOR RPM. THE ACFT CRASHED DURING AN UNSUCCESSFUL AUTOROTATION. THE OVERRUNNING CLUTCH LINKAGE & CLUTCH WAS FOUND IN THE DISENGAED POSITION. A SUCCESSFUL AUTOROTATION REQUIRES THAT THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL LEVER BE PLACED IN THE FULL DOWN POSITION & THE HELICOPTER POSITIONED IN A DESCENT SO AS TO MAINTAIN APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH FORWARD AIRSPEED & THE M/R BLADE SPEED KEPT WITHIN THE GREEN ARC ON THE TACHOMETER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/29/1982
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1227
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City MEDORA
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58645
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport PRIVATE HELIPAD
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 1230
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
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) --
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 3
Injury Total All 5
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3288
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 N4202S
NTSB Number DEN82FA148
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-280
Aircraft Series Identifier F-280
Aircraft Serial Number 1018
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 89
Airframe Hours 478
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES R. ZIEBART
Aircraft Owner Street Address RRT 1, BOX 77
Aircraft Owner City HAMAR
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 58336
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES R. ZIEBART
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address RRT 1, BOX 77
Operator City HAMAR
Operator State ND
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 58336
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City MEDORA
Departure State ND
Departure Country
Departure Time 1225
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City MEDORA
Destination State ND
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 --