WEWAHITCHKA, FL, USA
N508DD
Bell 205
The pilot was about to start agricultural operations, and had turned on the fertilizer bucket, when he reported that the hydraulic gauges started to 'surge.' He said the helicopter, '...then took a violent turn to the left...the helicopter jerked for a third time and came back level.' He released the fertilizer bucket, and elected to make a forced landing. He stated, '...the control was going left to right, the collective was not reacting properly, so I spooled off the throttle and landed in the trees.' Examination of the helicopter's hydraulic system after the accident revealed that impact damage had destroyed the servos and the hydraulic fluid reservoir. No discrepancies were found with the hydraulic system.
On April 3, 1998, about 0830 central standard time, a Bell UH-1H (205) helicopter, N508DD, registered to Precision Air Services, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 133, agricultural flight, impacted with trees during a forced landing near Wewahitchka, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter was destroyed. The commercial-rated pilot was not injured. The flight had originated at 0800. The pilot was about to start agricultural operations, and had turned on the fertilizer bucket, when he reported that the hydraulic gauges started to "surge." He said the helicopter, "...then took a violent turn to the left...the helicopter jerked for a third time and came back level." He released the fertilizer bucket, and elected to make a forced landing. He stated, "...the control was going left to right, the collective was not reacting properly, so I spooled off the throttle and landed in the trees." Examination of the helicopter's hydraulic system after the accident revealed that impact damage had destroyed the servos and the hydraulic fluid reservoir. No discrepancies were found with the hydraulic system.
The pilot's loss of control as a result of erratic flight control movement due to a surge in hydraulic pressure for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
