- Date
- April 16, 1986, 11:24 local (19:24 UTC)
- Place
- Chowchilla, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N910PDBell UH-1B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860416012089A
- Case key
- 24864
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
While returning from a spraying operation the plt observed that the main transmission oil pressure gage indicated zero. The plt reported that the engine master caution did not illuminate and that the oil temperature gage was normal. The plt stated that he decided that the oil pressure gage was faulty and elected to continue the flt. About 5 minutes later, the transmission oil temp gage began to rise rapidly. The helicopter began to shake violently and the main rotor RPM began to decay. The plt, unable to perform an autorotation due to low rotor RPM executed a power on landing, and the helicopter rolled over at impact. Post accident investigation disclosed the oil coller housing gasket was damaged and the transmission oil reservoir did not contain any oil. The transmission outer housing and planetary gears exhibited high temperature distress.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N910PD
- Reported as
- Bell UH-1B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 474
- Airframe hours
- 9,090
- Engine
- Lycoming T53-L11D, 1,100 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Operator
- San Joaquin Helicopter, Inc.
- Registered owner
- San Joaquin Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 1985 · 65 hours before
- Departed
- Snelling, CA
- Destination
- DLO · Delano, CA
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
- 36
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 10,000 total · 50 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FAT, 20 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 N910PD · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.