Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fairfield, Texas 75840
Monday, May 31, 1982 16:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER FLYING NORTHBOUND WHILE TRAVELING PARALLEL AND JUST EAST OF A NORTH-SOUTH HIGHWAY. REPORTEDLY, IT ENTER AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING APPROACH, CROSSED OVER THE HIGHWAY AND IMPACTED IN AN OPEN FIELD ON A WESTERLY HEADING AFTER CLEARING POWER LINES, THEN BURNED. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS DESCENDING IN ABOUT A 45 DEG WHEN IT WENT OUT OF SIGHT BEHIND TREES. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT IT IMPACTED IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE WHILE MOVING TO THE LEFT. THE WIND WAS FROM 340 DEG AT 16 KTS. AFTER IMPACT THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO DISINTEGRATE. WRECKAGE WAS FOUND OVER A DISTANCE OF 108 FT. DURING AN ENGINE TEARDOWN, DAMAGE WAS NOTED THAT WAS CONSISTENT WITH A LACK OF POWER AND LOW RPM. NO OTHER EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND DURING THE TEARDOWN. REPORTEDLY, THE PILOT HAD NOTED VIBRATIONS ON THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT DURING LEFT TURNS AND HAD TO "BEEP UP" THE ENGINE AFTER LIFTING OFF TO A HOVER, THEN HAD TO "BEEP DOWN" AFTER LANDING TO KEEP FROM OVERSPEEDING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/31/1982
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City FAIRFIELD
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75840
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 5
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 1650
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID DAL
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 110
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 76
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2941
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 N1482W
NTSB Number FTW82FA204
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B
Aircraft Serial Number 412
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 5
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 0
Airframe Hours 11992
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARY TOUT
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 23771, TWU STATION
Aircraft Owner City DENTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76204
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MARY TOUT
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 23771, TWU STATION
Operator City DENTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 76204
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City HUNTSVILLE
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City GAINESVILLE
Destination State TX
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 --