Accident Hughes 369HS/H-500 N9181F, Saturday 6 September 1986

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Date:	Saturday 6 September 1986
Time:	19:15 LT
Type:	Hughes 369HS/H-500
Owner/operator:	Burgundy Farms Inc.
Registration:	N9181F
MSN:	3405715
Total airframe hrs:	2894 hours
Engine model:	Allison 250C18
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Waterloo, AL - United States of America
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Agricultural
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE ACFT LIFTED OFF THE TOP OF THE SUPPORT TRUCK AND STARTED A TAKEOFF WITH A PARTIAL LOAD OF CHEMICALS TO BE APPLIED TO A LOGGED OVER FOREST AREA. ABOUT 10-15 FEET AFTER LIFT OFF THE PLT DETECTED A LOSS OF ROTOR RPM. HE WAS AT THE EDGE OF A RAVINE WITH STEEP SIDES AND HAD NO LANDING AREA AVAILABLE. HE DESCENDED THE SIDE OF THE RAVINE AND PERFORMED A MODIFIED AUTOROTATION INTO THE TOPS OF THE TREES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RAVINE. THE GROUND SUPPORT MAN REPORTED SEEING A PUFF OF SMOKE AT ABOUT THE TIME THE PLT REPORTED THE POWER LOSS. THE ACFT WAS RECOVERED AND EXAMINED. NO MALFUNCTIONS WERE DISCOVERED WHICH PREVENTED THE ENG FROM RUNNING. THE ENG WAS REMOVED AND SHIPPED TO THE FACTORY WHERE IT WAS RUN IN A TEST CELL. IT PERFORMEDWELL. A RECORDS CHECK REVEALED THAT HE ENG WAS SHIPPED TO BELL HELICOPTER AS A NEW 'O' TIME ENGINE. IT WAS INSTALLED IN THE HUGHES APPROXIMATELY 19 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE INSTALLATION WAS INSPECTED AND APPROVED BY THE FAA.

Probable Cause:

Accident investigation: