- Date
- July 19, 1983, 18:35 local (Jul 20, 1983, 02:35 UTC)
- Place
- Fairbanks, AK
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4156DHelio H395
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19830719071279A
- Case key
- 4040
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Takeoff was from a dirt driveway which had a usable length 0F 330 ft before it curved north. Before takeoff, the plt hadbent several small trees back away from the driveway & tied them down so they would not interfere with the takeoff. There are numerous trees surrounding the area, with an opening at the departure end of aout 40 ft wide. The wingspan of the acft was 38 ft 6 inches. As the plt tried to fly thruugh the opening, the left wing contacted a tall tree & the leading edge slat separated. The acft rolled & crashed inverted onto a guard rail of an adjacent highway. The acft was equipped with an automobile restraint system. The shoulder harness attaching bracket was located at the top of the benchseat. The shoulder harness strap came loose from that attaching point during the crash sequence. The acft had been reportedly rebuilt by the plt who is not an A&P. There were rivets missing in the vertical stabilizer, & where holes didn't match up, new ones were drilled & screwed together.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4156D
- Reported as
- Helio H395
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 508
- Engine
- Lycoming GO-480-G1D6, 295 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jack H. Freeman
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FAI, 5 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N4156D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.