- Date
- May 29, 1991, 06:40 local (10:40 UTC)
- Place
- Lake Seminole, GA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9650NBell UH-1B
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report March 10, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910529017889A
- Case key
- 8412
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
The failure of the pilot to maintain clearance from the surface.
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 helicopter was being used for aerial observation of previously sprayed aquatic plants. A dawn take off was made and the flight proceeded at low level along the river. The pilot reported that he looked at the observer then looked forward again. No obstruction was seen, however, a bump was felt and the helicopter struck the river surface. The pilot and his passenger exited the helicopter underwater.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9650N
- Reported as
- Bell UH-1B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 638674
- Airframe hours
- 4,951
- Engine
- Lycoming T53-L11D, 1,100 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Colony Services, Inc., doing business as Colony Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Colony Services, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 1, 1991 · 53 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Chattahoochee, FL
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
- 49
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 5,911 total · 162 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- Calm
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TLH, 30 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.