- Date
- August 2, 1989, 15:20 local (19:20 UTC)
- Place
- Norman Park, GA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N51850Texas Helicopter OH-13/M74
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 2, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890802033179A
- Case key
- 7911
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Improper planning/decision by the pilot, which resulted in his physical impairment from exposure to lannate, and his failure to maintain altitude/clearance above the ground. A factor related to the accident was: failure of the pilot to use a respirator while handling or being exposed to lannate.,
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 pilot had been making agricultural aerial application flights all day with some interruptions for rain. He had been applying lannate and bravo; the load aboard at the time of the accident was the same. After a lunch break, the pilot made one flight & loaded for the next. The liftoff and departure were reported to be normal, but when the helicopter did not return as expected, a search was initiated. Wreckage of the helicopter was found near the intended aerial application site. No preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure was found; however, the helicopter was extensively damaged. A toxicology check of the pilot's blood revealed the presence of methomyl (lannate) at a level of 600 parts/billion. The pilot had not been using a respirator. His last rprtd medical check was on 2/7/89.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N51850
- Reported as
- Texas Helicopter OH-13/M74
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 78018
- Airframe hours
- 1,473
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-A1F, 270 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Sunbelt Flyers, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 19, 1989 · 249 hours before
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
- 30
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,607 total · 1,607 in this make and model · 1,550 as pilot in command · 280 in the last 90 days · 120 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 325° at 8 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.