- Date
- February 3, 1987, 12:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Kurthwood, LA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N418ASikorsky S-55C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 9, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870203001589A
- Case key
- 22197
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
The engine surged and subsequently lost power during low altitude cruise flight above a dense forest. The pilot autorotated into the trees and then fell through onto the ground. Post accident examination revealed water contamination in the fuel system.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N418A
- Reported as
- Sikorsky S-55C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 55482
- Engine
- Wright R1300-30, 500 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Dennis W. Rogers, doing business as D & L Enterprises
- Registered owner
- D. W. Roger/L. S. Rogers
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 20, 1986 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- Kurthwood, LA
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
- 46
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 8,000 total · 500 in this make and model · 130 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.