Aerospatiale AS-355F accident near Chamblee, Georgia, August 4, 1985
On August 4, 1985 at about 5:30 am local time, a Aerospatiale AS-355F (helicopter), registered N299FE, was destroyed in an accident near Chamblee, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 6 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 1985 · about 5:30 am local time
- Place
- Chamblee, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS-355F · all AS-355Fs on the register
- Registration
- N299FE · registry record · serial 5152
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
REPORTEDLY, THE PLT & PASSENGERS HAD GONE TO A LOCAL ESTABLISHMENT, WHERE THE ENTIRE PARTY HAD CONSUMED AN UNSPECIFIED AMOUNT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. ONE PASSENGER REPORTED THAT AFTER ARRIVING AT THE ARPT, THE PLT MADE A WALK-AROUND INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER, & BEFORE TAKING OFF, HE PERFORMED AN ENG RUN-UP. SHORTLY AFTER THE ACFT HAD DEPARTED, THE LEFT CHIP DETECTOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED & THE PLT PROCEEDED TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, THE RIGHT CHIP DETECTOR LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED, THEN BOTH ENGS LOST POWER. THE PLT ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION, BUT WHILE AVOIDING POWER LINES, AVAILABLE LIFT WAS EXPENDED & THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD. THE OCCUPANTS RECEIVED SERIOUS BACK INJURIES DURING THE LANDING. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN PARKED OUTSIDE THE HANGER FOR CONTINUING REPAIRS & THE OIL SUPPLY LINES TO THE SENSORS HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED. SUBSEQUENTLY, OIL WAS LOST THRU THE DISCONNECTED LINES & BOTH ENGS HAD FAILED. A CHECK OF THE PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.04%
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,900 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 1,720 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 870 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 24, 1985; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,070 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C2OF (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PDK Chamblee GA at 5:25 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 250 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 am from FTY, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.