Spirit Of St. Louis Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chesterfield, Missouri 63017
Saturday, July 31, 1982 15:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE TOOK OFF AND WAS GOING THROUGH TRANSLATIONAL LIFT AT ABOUT 15 TO 20 FT AGL WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD BANG. HE SAID THE LOUD BANG WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A POWER LOSS. AN IMMEDIATE DESCENT WAS MADE AND THE HELICOPTER WAS LANDED HARD WITH A FORWARD SPEED OF ABOUT 30 KTS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE LANDING, THE TAIL BOOM WAS CHOPPED OFF AND THE RIGHT SKID COLLAPSED WHEN THE HELICOPTER SKIDDED THOUGH A DITCH. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING AFTER LANDING. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT DEFICIENCIES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/31/1982
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CHESTERFIELD
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 63017
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 SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SUS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 80
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1463
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 N4070B
NTSB Number MKC82DA135
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 47J-2
Aircraft Series Identifier 47J-2
Aircraft Serial Number 1812
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
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 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 8
Airframe Hours 11110
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name METROPOLITAN HELICOPTER INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 1, BOX 521A
Aircraft Owner City GLENCOE
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63038
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name METROPOLITAN HELICOPTER INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address RT 1, BOX 521A
Operator City GLENCOE
Operator State MO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 63038
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SUS
Departure City CHESTERFIELD
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1545
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City ALHAMBRA
Destination State IL
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 --