- Date
- April 16, 1993, 15:36 local (19:36 UTC)
- Place
- Gatlinburg, TN
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4040PBell UH1F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930416012539A
- Case key
- 3199
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 loss of engine power for unknown reasons.
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 flight departed greenville, Tennessee on a positioning flight to dalton, Georgia. While flying at an altitude of 800 feet above ground level, in the vicinity of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, the aircraft engine lost power. A forced landing was executed, and the aircraft struck trees and crashed in the mountainous terrain. A test run of the aircraft engine showed the engine to operate at near full power, and an examination of the aircraft engine failed to reveal any significant problems which would result in a loss of power.
Factual narrative
On April 16, 1993, at about 1536 eastern daylight time, a Bell UH1F, N4040P was substantially damaged following a collision with terrain during an emergency landing near Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The commercial pilot received minor injuries in the accident. The aircraft was owned and being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 by Ranger Helicopter Services, Incorporated of Roanoke, Virginia. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed for the positioning flight. The flight departed Greenville, Tennessee at about 1440, and was destined for Dalton, Georgia.
The pilot stated that, while in cruise flight at 800 feet, the aircraft engine lost power, and he was forced to execute an emergency landing. He stated that he observed a small road and attempted to land on the road. During the emergency landing, the aircraft hit trees and crashed into the terrain.
Inspection and test run of the engine revealed that the engine started and ran at slightly less than full rated power. There was a fuel leak at the fuel flow divider.
The fuel filters were removed and inspected, and small metal particles were found in the filters. The centrifical fuel purifier was found to be rotating in its housing.
The fuel control unit was removed and inspected, and small metal particles were found in the filter. None of the fuel jets were found to be plugged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4040P
- Reported as
- Bell UH1F
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 65-7911
- Airframe hours
- 10,653
- Engine
- GE T58GE-3, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ranger Helicopter Services
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 12, 1993 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- GCY · Greenville, TN
- Destination
- DNN · Dalton, GA
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
- 50
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,824 total · 2,104 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TYS, 60 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 N4040P · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.