Aerospatiale AS 315B accident near Hartshorn, Oklahoma, April 27, 1984
On April 27, 1984 at about 12:15 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS 315B (helicopter), registered N3835W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hartshorn, Oklahoma. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
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
- April 27, 1984 · about 12:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hartshorn, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS 315B
- Registration
- N3835W · no longer on the register · serial 2544
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING FOLLOWING AN EXPLOSION IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WHILE IN LEVEL FLIGHT AT 1000 FT AGL, THE PLT HEARD A LOUD SCREECH FROM THE ENGINE AREA FOLLOWED BY A LOUD BANG. A WINGMAN OBSERVED 10 FT FLAMES FROM THE ENGINE EXHAUST. A HARD AUTOROTATIVE LANDING RESULTED WHEN THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO STRETCH THE GLIDE TO A MORE SUITABLE LANDING AREA. THE PLT THEN EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE USING AN ONBOARD EXTINGUISHER. METALLURGICAL EXAM OF THE AXIAL COMPRESSOR SECTION TRACED THE COMPRESSOR BLADE FAILURE TO AN IMPROPER RETAINING PIN WHICH CAUSED A STRESS CONCENTRATION IN THE COMPRESSOR BLADE ROOT. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE PIN WAS INSTALLED DURING THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURING PROCESS.
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: 6,920 hours in all; 2,515 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 6,735 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,111 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,040 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARTOUSTEIII-B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLC Mcalester OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 am from MLC, 5 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.
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.