- Date
- May 6, 1990, 17:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place
- Ulysses, KS
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8142WBell UH-1B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 10, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900506013999A
- Case key
- 34868
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 pilot failed to maintain proper rotor RPM, while maneuvering over a high obstruction (power line) at the end of a swath run, which resulted in an inadvertent descent & collision with the terrain. The high obstruction was considered to be a related factor.
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 helicopter was refueled & loaded with a spray mix, then the plt proceeded to a field & began aerial application. After the 2nd swath run, he maneuvered the helicopter up & over 'big' power lines on the east end of the field. At about that time, the helicopter entered a descent & crashed. No preimpact mechanical problem was found during the investigation. The owner estimated the helicopter had about 1983 lbs of spray & 900 lbs of fuel on board when it crashed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8142W
- Reported as
- Bell UH-1B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 63-8566
- Airframe hours
- 4,768
- Engine
- Lycoming T53-L-11D, 1,100 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Tri-Rotor Spray & Chemical
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 27, 1990 · 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
- 39
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 5,677 total · 2,500 in this make and model · 200 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 16 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GCK, 45 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.