- Date
- June 10, 1987, 07:40 local (12:40 UTC)
- Place
- Melvin, AL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N205PSBell TH-13T
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 25, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870610022049A
- Case key
- 7241
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
The plt rprtd that after lndg to reload with herbicide, he got out of the helicopter to check the fuel in the tanks. After a visual inspn, he believed he had 'an adequate amount' of fuel to fly about 1/4 mi to the area to be sprayed, apply the chemical & return to the loading area. However, when he was on the last spray run at about 40' AGL, the eng lost power. The plt made an autorotative apch to a nearby road where the helicopter lndd hard & skidded to a stop. Drg the lndg, the tail boom hit the road & was extensively damaged. The plt stated the helicopter ran out of fuel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N205PS
- Reported as
- Bell TH-13T
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3665
- Airframe hours
- 5,662
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540, 280 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Robert E. Provine, doing business as Provine Helicopter Service
- Registered owner
- Provine Helicopter Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 15, 1987
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
- 41
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 10,395 total · 600 in this make and model · 10,300 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.