- Date
- July 16, 1982, 08:45 local (12:45 UTC)
- Place
- Lake Lady, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N95484Sikorsky H-19
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 16, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820716030069A
- Case key
- 71326
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
Shortly after takeoff, the engine lost power and an autorotative landing was made in a marshy area. During touchdown, the main rotor blades struck the tail boom. The engine became submerged in water and could not be tested due to the high moisture content in the carburetor and magnetos. No preimpact/mechanical malfunction or failure was verified.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N95484
- Reported as
- Sikorsky H-19
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 54-1409
- Airframe hours
- 2,209
- Engine
- Wright R-1300, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 137
- Operator
- David Bortscheller
- Registered owner
- David Bortscheller
- Departed
- Lake Lady, FL
- Destination
- Lake Lady, FL
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
- 35
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 5,000 total · 3,500 in this make and model · 5,000 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 2 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Temperature
- 194 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.