- Date
- July 24, 1997, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Sylacauga, AL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Uncontrolled descent
- Aircraft
- N62108Continental Copters MK5A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 7, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970724019589A
- Case key
- 38314
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The failure of the pilot to maintain main rotor rpm resulting in the helicopter descending and colliding with trees.
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 pilot reported that immediately after takeoff he lost main rotor rpm, but that the engine did not quit or lose power. The helicopter descended, collided with trees, and came to rest. Post crash examination of the helicopter showed no evidence to indicate mechanical failure or malfunction of the engine, structure, or systems.
Factual narrative
On July 24, 1997, about 1330 central daylight time, a Continental Copters MK5A, N62108, registered to Gulf Helicopter, Inc., crashed during takeoff at Sylacauga, Alabama, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter received substantial damage and the commercial-rated pilot received minor injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated he departed to the southwest from the back of a truck with a normal load of chemical, 80 gallons. Immediately after takeoff, rotor rpm began to decay. Realizing the aircraft would not clear the trees, he flared to slow the airspeed as the helicopter settled into the trees. The temperature was about 95 degrees and he had made about 20 similar takeoffs from the same spot on the day of the accident.
The pilot reported to an FAA inspector that the engine did not quit or lose power. Examination of the helicopter by an FAA inspector showed no evidence of precrash failure or malfunction of the engine, helicopter structure, or systems. The main drive clutch was removed and tested at an overhaul facility by FAA inspectors. The clutch operated normally.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N62108
- Reported as
- Continental Copters MK5A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- TC-HFS-1
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-A1F, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Gulf Helicopter, 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
- 50
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 10,000 total · 4,000 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BHM, 40 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 N62108 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.