Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Coaltown, Pennsylvania
Wednesday, October 20, 1982 9:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE PATROLLING ALONG THE WEST'SIDE OF A POWER LINE FROM SOUTH TO NORTH. WHILE PATROLLING THE PILOT WAS MAINTAINING AN ALTITUDE OF 75 TO 100 FT AGL AT 20 TO 30 KTS WITH AN 8 TO 10 KT TAIL WIND. HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS DESCENDING DOWN A RIDGE WHEN THE HELICOPTER BEGAN A SLOW YAW TO THE RIGHT. HE STATED THAT FULL LEFT PEDDLE WAS USELESS AND THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TO YAW TO THE RIGHT. HE REDUCED THE COLLECTIVE TO CONTROL THE RATE OF THE TURN, BUT BEGAN DESCENDING TOWARD THE WIRES. HE THEN INCREASED THE COLLECTIVE AND ADDED RIGHT CYCLIC TO AVOID THE WIRES. AFTER SPINNING 2 OR 3 TIMES, HE REDUCED THE POWER AND COLLECTIVE AND BEGAN AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING. DURING THE LANDING, THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD IN A WOODED AREA. A POST IMPACT FIRE DESTROYED THE FUSELAGE FROM STATION 164 FORWARD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/20/1982
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City COALTOWN
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 10
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 25000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 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 3
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3372
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 N31PL
NTSB Number NYC83FGM01
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 HUGHES
Aircraft Model 369D
Aircraft Series Identifier 369D
Aircraft Serial Number 11702340
Certified Max Gross Weight 2100
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Unknown
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
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 1340
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EVERGREEN HELICOPTER, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EVERGREEN HELICOPTER, INC
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
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) Aerial Observation
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City BUTLER
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City BUTLER
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --