WALDO, FL, USA
N19MP
HILLER UH-12E
THE ACFT WAS BEING USED TO DISPENSE AERIAL INCENDIARY DEVICES (AIDS) TO CONTROL FOREST BURNING. THE AIDS WERE 1.25 INCH DIAMETER POLYSTYRENE BALLS CONTAINING POTASSIUM PERMANGANATE. THEY WERE INJECTED WITH ETHYLENE GLYCOL PRIOR TO BEING DROPPED OUT OF THE ACFT BY A DISPENSING MACHINE. THE MACHINE WAS INSTALLED ON THE CABIN FLOOR IN FRONT OF THE RGT DOOR OPENING. FIRE ERUPTED IN AN EXTRA SUPPLY OF AID BALLS LOCATED IN THE CANOPY BUBBLE FORWARD OF THE SEATS. THE EXTRA AIDS WERE STORED IN PLASTIC BAGS. AFTER THE FIRE ERUPTED, THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A NEARBY ROAD , BUT LOST CONTROL BECAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE CREWMEMBER DID NOT JETTISON THE AID DISPENSER BECAUSE THE FIRE WAS IN THE CANOPY BUBBLE. THE AID BALLS HAD BEEN SHIPPED IN BLACK PLASTIC BAGS & PACKED IN CORRUGATED PAPER CARTONS. THE EXTRA SUPPLIES OF AIDS IN THE ACFT WERE IN THE PLASTIC BAGS THAT HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE CORRUGATED CARTONS. OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS ALLOWED FOR EXTRA CARTONS OF AIDS TO BE CARRIED IN THE CABIN OF THE ACFT, IF THEY WERE SECURELY FASTENED.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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