St. Petersburg-Clearwater Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. Petersburg, Florida 34622
Saturday, December 3, 1994 17:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot-in-command was ground taxiing into an unmarked parking area between two hangers without a ground marshaller. The helicopter's main rotor blades collided with the hanger. There were no written procedures pertaining to marshalling of aircraft or designated parking areas.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain separation while ground taxiing between two hangers, resulting in the main rotor blades colliding with a hanger. Contributing to the accident was the lack of written procedures pertaining to ground marshalling of aircraft, and designated parking areas.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/3/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ST. PETERSBURG
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34622
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ST. PETERSBURG-CLEARWATER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PIE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 11
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1751 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PIE
Elevation of weather observation facility 11
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 18000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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 None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1495
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 3 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1735
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:46PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N23321
NTSB Number MIA95GA033
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Public Use
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SIKORSKY
Aircraft Model UH-60A
Aircraft Series Identifier UH-60A
Aircraft Serial Number 79-23321
Certified Max Gross Weight 20500
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class Military
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Nov 25 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name U.S.ARMY AVN TROOP CMD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4300 GOODFELLOW BLVD
Aircraft Owner City ST. LOUIS
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63120
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5020 SOUTH MERIDAN
Operator City OKLAHOMA CITY
Operator State OK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 73119
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 Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Public Use
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code NIP
Departure City JACKSONVILLE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1631
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PIE
Destination City
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 22 2001 3:26PM
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 --