Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hacienda Height, California 91745
Tuesady, May 10, 1994 21:42 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH THE UPPER STATIC CABLE OF POWER TRANSMISSION LINES WHILE ON A NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE HELICOPTER FLYING LOW FOR SEVERAL MILES BEFORE THE COLLISION. AFTER THE COLLISION, THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE INDICATED THE CENTER POST OF THE CANOPY STRUCK THE CABLE FIRST. THE VISIBILITY WAS REPORTED AS 6 STATUTE MILES WITH HAZE AND FOG. THE WIRES ARE DEPICTED ON THE HELICOPTER ROUTE CHART AND THE VFR TERMINAL AREA CHART. THE CABLE SUPPORT TOWERS WERE LIGHTED ON THE NIGHT OF THE ACCIDENT. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-ACCIDENT MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE HELICOPTER. THREE AUTOMOBILES WERE DAMAGED WHEN THE HELICOPTER CRASHED. ONE AUTOMOBILE STOPPED IN THE WESTBOUND LANES SHORT OF CRASHED HELICOPTER AND ANOTHER AUTOMOBILE STRUCK THE REAR OF THE STOPPED VEHICLE. AN AUTOMOBILE IN THE EASTBOUND LANES STRUCK THE HELICOPTER'S MAST AND WAS DAMAGED. ALL REPORTED INJURIES ON THE GROUND WERE A RESULT OF AUTOMOBILES COLLIDING IN THE WESTBOUND LANES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's selection of an en route cruise altitude which provided insufficient obstruction clearance, and his inadequate visual lookout. Factors in the night time accident were the reduced visibility as a result of the fog and haze.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/10/1994
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2142
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City HACIENDA HEIGHT
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91745
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2146 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 66
Weather Observation Facility ID ONT
Elevation of weather observation facility 943
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 3
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 5
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1634
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 10 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2157
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8047Y
NTSB Number LAX94FA214
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion In-flight
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R-22
Aircraft Series Identifier R-22
Aircraft Serial Number 2408
Certified Max Gross Weight 1370
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 9 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 9
Airframe Hours 309
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SKYLINE AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7000 MERRILL AVE.
Aircraft Owner City CHINO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91710
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SKYLINE AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 7000 MERRILL AVE.
Operator City CHINO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91710
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BUR
Departure City BURBANK
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2119
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CNO
Destination City CHINO
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --