- Date
- August 1, 1990, 19:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Galax, VA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N152RRBell TH-1L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 12, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900801033739A
- Case key
- 11535
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 lost of engine power because of a compressor stall.
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 was aerial spraying at 100 AGL. The airspeed was 33 mph. When the engine stalled several times before total power loss occurred. The plt did an autorotation and landed in trees. The investigation did not reveal evidence of mechanical malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N152RR
- Reported as
- Bell TH-1L
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 157845
- Airframe hours
- 7,739
- Engine
- Lycoming T53-L-13B, 1,400 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 137
- Operator
- Ranger Helicopters Services
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 20, 1990 · 27 hours before
- Departed
- HLX · Hillsville, VA
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
- 48
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,698 total · 1,600 in this make and model · 3,000 as pilot in command · 144 in the last 90 days · 48 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 35 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ROA, 68 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.