S.N.I.A.S. AS350D accident near Cape Girardeau, Missouri, September 23, 1983
On September 23, 1983 at about 6:30 pm local time, a S.N.I.A.S. AS350D (helicopter), registered N5786B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cape Girardeau, Missouri (Cape Girardeau Muni airport). It was a business 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
- September 23, 1983 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cape Girardeau, Missouri · Cape Girardeau Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- S.N.I.A.S. AS350D
- Registration
- N5786B · no longer on the register · serial 1454
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING FLT, HE HEARD A GRINDING NOISE, THEN THE HELICOPTER PITCHED UP & TO THE LEFT. HE REDUCED POWER & NOTICED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR WAS INOPERATIVE. DURING A RUN-ON LANDING APPROACH, THE HELICOPTER BEGUN TO YAW, THEN BEFORE TOUCHDOWN, IT BEGAN TO SPIN. DURING GROUND IMPACT, THE LANDING GEAR SKIDS WERE TWISTED, THE VERTICAL FIN WAS KNOCKED OFF, ALL MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCT THE GROUND & THE RIGHT FRONT & RIGHT REAR DOORS WERE DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT, PN 350A34-0110-02, 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,501 hours in all; 337 in this make and model; 128 in the last 90 days; 5,129 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 306 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 11, 1982; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,190 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming LTS-101 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IND Indianopolis IN at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:27 pm from CGI
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.