20030704013239A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Orlhel UH19DSKRSKY · La Grande, OR · July 4, 2003

Date: July 4, 2003 · 08:50 local
Place: La Grande, OR
Airport: La Grande/Union County Airport
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: V6CG
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N37799
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA03LA125
Reported as: Orlhel UH19DSKRSKY
Reported engine: WRIGHT R13003
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,800 total460 in this make and model100 in the last 90 days

N37799Registration cancelled Oct 5, 2005 · Sikorsky UH-19DS/N 56-1542 · Built 1956 Airframe modelSikorsky UH-19D Engine modelWright R-1300 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On July 4, 2003, at approximately 0850 PDT, N37799, a Sikorsky H-19, was applying fungicide to a potato field and had just completed a run and was halfway through 180 degrees turn to start another run when the pilot heard several clanking noises and noticed a loss of lift. The aircraft was too low and too slow for an autorotation and still carried half a tank of fungicide. The pilot stated he still had directional control so he aimed the aircraft to the corner of the field, he glided over the highway (237) and first hit on the side of the road, bounced back into the air and was on fire. The aircraft then hit the ground again, resting on its left side. The pilot stated the aircraft was burning very good now and exited the right side of the cockpit jumped to the ground and ran away from the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON JULY 4, 2003, AT APPROXIMATELY 0850 PDT, N37799, A SIKORSKY H-19, WAS APPLYING FUNGICIDE TO A POTATO FIELD AND HAD JUST COMPLETED A RUN AND WAS HALFWAY THROUGH 180 DEGREES TURN TO START ANOTHER RUN WHEN THE PILOT HEARD SEVERAL CLANKING NOISES AND NOTICED A LOSS OF LIFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOO LOW AND TOO SLOW FOR AN AUTOROTATION AND STILL CARRIED HALF A TANK OF FUNGICIDE. THE PILOT STATED HE STILL HAD DIRECTIONAL CONTROL SO HE AIMED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE CORNER OF THE FIELD, HE GLIDED OVER THE HIGHWAY (237) AND FIRST HIT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR AND WAS ON FIRE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN HIT THE GROUND AGAIN, RESTING ON ITS LEFT SIDE. THE PILOT STATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS BURNING VERY GOOD NOW AND EXITED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE COCKPIT JUMPED TO THE GROUND AND RAN AWAY FROM THE AIRCRAFT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA03LA125Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLa Grande, ORThe cross threading and separation of the clutch assembly while maneuvering which resulted in a loss of engine power followed by a hard landing. An inadequate maintenance overhaul was a factor.Jul 4, 2003 · Destroyed

Other reports on N37799 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19830803038669APwr Off Run Land (Autorotation · Halifax, MACrash occurred during autorotation landing after engine quit due to exhaust valve breaking.Aug 3, 1983 · Substantial damage