Continental Copters MK5A accident near Franklin, Georgia, September 26, 1991
On September 26, 1991 at about 11:00 am local time, a Continental Copters MK5A (helicopter), registered N62108, was substantially damaged in an accident near Franklin, Georgia. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN UNDETERMINED FAILURE OF THE TAIL ROTOR CONTROL CABLE, WHICH RESULTED IN AN UNCONTROLLED COLLISION WITH THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 1991 · about 11:00 am local time
- Place
- Franklin, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Continental Copters MK5A
- Registration
- N62108 · no longer on the register · serial TC-HFS-1
- 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 PILOT HAD COMPLETED THE FIRST SPRAYING OF THE MORNING AND WAS HOVERING TO THE LOADING AREA WHEN HE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR CONTROL. THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE HELICOPTER AWAY FROM THE LOADING AREA AND ATTEMPTED A LANDING IN AN ADJACENT FIELD. HOWEVER, AS THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE HELICOPTER, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE GROUND, AND THE HELICOPTER CRASHED. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT TAIL ROTOR CONTROL CABLE HAD FAILED NEAR THE PEDAL ATTACH POINT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE FIELD CABLE WAS MAILED TO THE NTSB FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION; THE CABLE NEVER ARRIVED. FAILURE MODE WAS NOT DETERMINED.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 800 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 31, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-A1F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:49 am from ANB, 40 miles away
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 N62108 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.