Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pellston, Michigan 49770
Saturday, February 10, 1996 13:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The helicopter was declared missing on the day it had departed from its home airport. Three days later, it was found on top of a heavily wooded, snow covered, hill. According to the local coroner, the pilot had survived the accident but not the cold weather. There was no cold weather survival gear found at the accident scene. The helicopter was not equipped with an ELT. On the day it was declared missing, the helicopter was observed at an airport about 10 miles south-southwest of the accident site. The witness said it took off departing north at an altitude between 300 and 400 feet above ground level. The same witness said the visibility was 1 to 2 miles. Witnesses about 1 mile west of the accident site heard a metallic crashing sound. They said the tree tops east of them were obscured. An airport, about 1 miles east of the accident site, reported 3 miles visibility with fog about the time the witnesses reported hearing the collision sounds. The airframe, control system, and power plant examination revealed no anomalies that would have prevented flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

flight into known adverse weather conditions (fog) at too low an altitude by the pilot. Factors associated with this accident were inadequate preflight planning and an improper inflight decision by the pilot when he chose to continue flight into the fog conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/10/1996
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1315
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City PELLSTON
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49770
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 2
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 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 250
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1251 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 70
Weather Observation Facility ID PLN
Elevation of weather observation facility 720
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 624
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 13 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1750
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:50AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2157J
NTSB Number CHI96FA088
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206B-III
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B-III
Aircraft Serial Number 3428
Certified Max Gross Weight 3350
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 2 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 58
Airframe Hours 2173
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WAGOOSH, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1371 PEMBROKE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City BLOOMFIELD
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48304
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code D87
Departure City HARBOR SPRINGS
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1215
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
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 --