Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Jack Edwards Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Gulf Shores, Alabama 36542
Sunday, March 10, 1996 15:40 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The Cessna 172RG and a Hughes 269 helicopter, collided about 150 feet above the ground on the final approach course for runway 9. The Cessna was on the final approach for landing on runway 9, while the helicopter was proceeding south southeast across the final approach course to land at a hangar on the south side of the airport. The helicopter pilot had just completed hovering practice on the north side of the airport, and had circled north northwest, west, south, and then headed southeast to the landing area. Based upon the reported damage, the helicopter main rotor contacted the left flap and horizontal stabilizer/elevator of the Cessna. The Cessna pilot stated he reported his position as he entered right base for runway 9, and as he turned onto final at 500 feet above ground. The Hughes pilot did not report making any radio transmissions. Both pilots stated they glimpsed the opposing aircraft just prior to the collision. Both pilots reported taking evasive action, which was ineffectual. The Cessna continued and was landed on the runway, while the helicopter pilot executed an autorotation and landed near the collision site.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of both pilots to maintain an adequate visual lookout. A factor was the lack of position reports via radio by the pilot of the helicopter.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/10/1996 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1540 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | GULF SHORES |
| Event State | ALABAMA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 36542 |
| Event Date Year | 1996 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | Yes |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | JACK EDWARDS |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | AL15 |
| 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 | 270 |
| Airport Elevation | 16 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1547 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BFM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 26 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 15 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| 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) | 15 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 360 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 0 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 452 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 10 1996 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1651 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 9:53AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
||
|---|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
Aircraft #2 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6612V | N7480F |
| NTSB Number | ATL96LA063A | ATL96LA063B |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- | -- |
| Damage | Substantial | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna | Hughes |
| Aircraft Model | 172RG | 269C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 172RG | 269C |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 172RG0781 | 170570 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2650 | 2150 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 13 1995 12:00AM | Sep 1 1995 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 20 | 27 |
| Airframe Hours | 2229 | 3596 |
| ELT Installed | Yes | No |
| ELT Activated | No | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | GULF SHORES FLYING SERVICE | SKYCOPTERS, INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. BOX 2287 | P.O. BOX 1760 |
| Aircraft Owner City | GULF SHORES | ORANGE BEACH |
| Aircraft Owner State | AL | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | ||
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 36547 | 36561 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- | -- |
| Operator Name | JAMES D. JETER | DONALD T. MORGAN |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No | No |
| Operator Street Address | 31811 RIVER RD. | PO BOX 1760 |
| Operator City | ORANGE BEACH | ORANGE BEACH |
| Operator State | AL | AL |
| Operator Country | ||
| Operator Zip code | 36561 | 36561 |
| Operator Code | ||
| Owner has at least one certificate | None | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown | 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 | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | AL15 | AL15 |
| Departure City | ||
| Departure State | ||
| Departure Country | ||
| Departure Time | 1445 | 1400 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | ||
| Destination City | ||
| Destination State | ||
| Destination Country | ||
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2001 10:34AM | Jan 2 2001 10:34AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 9 | 9 |
| Runway Length | 5399 | 5399 |
| Runway Width | 100 | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No | No |
| Medical Flight | -- | -- |