Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Nicholas Argentina
Wednesday, March 15, 1995 11:45 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On March 15, 1995, about 1145 Atlantic standard time, a Bell helicopter,LV-WFZ, registered to Heli-Air, Buenos Aires, Argentina, crashed after striking wires near San Nicholas, Argentina, while on a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan had been filed and activated. The helicopter was destroyed and the pilot and the student pilot rated passenger received fatal injuries. The flight had originated from Buenos Aires, about 1020 the same day. Initial information is that the helicopter struck a 3-inch diameter powerline wire about 200 meters above the ground. The pilot was Carlos Menem, Jr., the son of the President of Argentina, and the passenger Silvio Oltra was a friend of the pilot. Both pilots were race car drivers and were en route to Rosario, about 190 miles North of Buenos Aires for a race scheduled for March 19, 1995. This report is filed for information purposes only and contains only information received from, or obtained for, the Argentine aviation authorities for additional information contact: Presidente ATTN: Horacio Viola Junta de Investigacion de Accidentes Aviacion Civil Edif. Condor Comodoro Zanni 250 1104 Buenos Aires, Argentina Telephone: 011-541-315-2222

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/15/1995
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1145
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City SAN NICHOLAS
Event State --
Event Country ARGENTINA
Zipcode of the event site 00000
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 3
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 Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1145
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 7000
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 15 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1505
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number --
NTSB Number MIA95WA083
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Unknown
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206-B3
Aircraft Series Identifier 206-B3
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City BUENOS AIRES
Operator State OF
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 00000
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 Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SADP
Departure City BUENOS AIRES
Departure State OF
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SRSO
Destination City ROSARIO
Destination State OF
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:09PM
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 --