Sikorsky H-34J accident near Louisville, Georgia, September 15, 1989
On September 15, 1989 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Sikorsky H-34J (helicopter), registered N4556D, was destroyed in an accident near Louisville, Georgia. It was an other work-use flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN UNDETERMINED MALFUNCTION OF THE MAIN ROTOR DRIVE SYSTEM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 15, 1989 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Louisville, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky H-34J
- Registration
- N4556D · no longer on the register · serial 145668
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING A LOGGING OPERATION, A JERKING MOTION WAS NOTED WHILE THE HELICOPTER WAS HOVERING AT 200 FEET. THE MOTION OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THE PILOT EJECTED THE LONG LINE AND ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING, BUT THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED IN A SWAMPY AREA AND BURNED. IT WAS NOT RECOVERED, BUT THE ENGINE WAS REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN OPERATING PROPERLY THROUGHOUT THE EMERGENCY. THE PILOT SUSPECTED THAT THE FREE WHEELING UNIT HAD FAILED.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 2,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,000 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright R-1820-84D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N4556D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.