- Date
- July 30, 1982, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Wahpeton, ND
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6704Sikorsky S-55B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820730033879A
- Case key
- 72941
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
After receiving his last load of chemical, the pilot thought he had enough fuel to complete two spray passes to finish the field before proceeding to the fuel truck. He completed the passes, then pulled to about 150 ft AGL to fly about three miles to refuel. About 1/2 mile from the intended landing point, the engine lost power from fuel exhaustion. The pilot reported that he was traveling toward the southwest at about 50 KIAS when the power loss occurred. He stated that he entered an auto rotation, but was too low to turn into the wind, which was from the northwest at 10, gusting 15 KTS. The helicopter rolled over during a landing in a wheat field.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6704
- Reported as
- Sikorsky S-55B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 55-1148
- Airframe hours
- 6,277
- Engine
- Wright 1300-3D, 800 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 137
- Operator
- Paul Gorder
- Registered owner
- Paul Gorder
- Departed
- Wahpeton, NC
- Destination
- Wahpeton, NC
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 1,736 total · 172 in this make and model · 1,195 as pilot in command · 143 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 315° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Temperature
- 172 °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.