- Date
- May 21, 1986, 02:55 local (06:55 UTC)
- Place
- Fellsmere, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3879GBell UH-1B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860521019089A
- Case key
- 31639
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 plt stated that he had about 350 lbs of fuel onboard when he took off on his 4th night crop dusting mission. He indicated that each mission is 6 to 8 mins in duration and that the average fuel consumption is about 570 lbs per hr. He stated that the 20 min low fuel level warning light had been on for 3 to 5 mins when the eng failed. The acft nosed over during the night forced landing roll. The plt stated he did not think he had run out of fuel but he was not sure. The plt reported that the acft had performed normal prior to the eng failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3879G
- Reported as
- Bell UH-1B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 62-2053
- Airframe hours
- 4,990
- Engine
- Lycoming T-5311D, 1,150 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Colony Services, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 4, 1986 · 30 hours before
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
- 30
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,837 total · 513 in this make and model · 2,501 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Wind
- 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- VRB, 8 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.