Sikorsky UH-19D accident near Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, December 6, 1986
On December 6, 1986 at about 7:42 pm local time, a Sikorsky UH-19D (helicopter), registered N37800, was substantially damaged in an accident near Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 1986 · about 7:42 pm local time
- Place
- Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky UH-19D · all UH-19Ds on the register
- Registration
- N37800 · no longer on the register · serial 55-4944
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT SAID HE WAS SPREADING FERTILIZER ON TREES WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM THE ENG & THE HELICOPTER YAWED LEFT. AT THAT TIME, THE HELICOPTER'S ALT & SPEED WERE ABOUT 100 FT & 40 KTS. COLLECTIVE WAS RAISED TO CLEAR TREE TOPS & REACH A CLEARING. BEFORE TOUCHDOWN, ROTOR ENERGY WAS EXPENDED, & SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD & WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PLT SENT THE ENG TO A REPAIR FACILITY, BUT THE REASON FOR THE MALFUNCTION WAS NOT VERIFIED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 250 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,044 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 28, 1986; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,500 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright R-1300-3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from RWI, 52 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N37800 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL87LA036.