- Date
- August 1, 1985, 12:40 local (16:40 UTC)
- Place
- Quitman, GA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N31FGBell TH-13T
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 31436
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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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
Pilot stated that after completing a left turn at the end of a cotton field, the aircraft yawed sharply to the left and the yaw could not be controlled with cyclic control. Another left turn at the oppsite end of the field the aircraft again yawed to the left. Control was regained and as a precautionary landing was being made in the cotton field the main rotor blades struck the ground causing the aircraft to roll onto its side. Post crash inspection of the aircraft's flight control system revealed no evidence to indicate precrash mechanical failure or malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N31FG
- Reported as
- Bell TH-13T
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3834
- Engine
- Lycoming O-435, 270 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- C And C Flying Service,Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
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
- 31
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,950 total · 1,950 in this make and model · 1,950 as pilot in command · 125 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- VLD, 15 nm away
Other investigations on N31FG · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.