Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hesston, Kansas 67062
Monday, October 14, 1996 19:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On the return flight to Newton Airport, the pilot decided to divert and land on his farm. While starting to land at his farm at dusk, his landing light was inoperative and the pilot decided to abort his landing. When the pilot added power, he heard a noise from either the transmission or the rotors and decided to make a precautionary landing in the golf course next to his farm that he knew well. During the roll on landing, the helicopter struck a dirt bank which damaged the right skid. The helicopter was put into a hover and then settled on to the golf course. The helicopter rolled to the right after landing.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot selected unsuitable terrain for landing. The factors involved were: an inoperative landing light, dusk light conditions, and the terrain condition.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/14/1996
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1950
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HESSTON
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 67062
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 10
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1956 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID EWK
Elevation of weather observation facility 1533
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
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) 2303
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1224
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 14 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2156
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:24AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N504AP
NTSB Number CHI97LA008
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Hughes
Aircraft Model 369E
Aircraft Series Identifier 369-E
Aircraft Serial Number 0094E
Certified Max Gross Weight 2100
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
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 EXECUTIVE AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 714 N. OLIVER ROAD
Aircraft Owner City NEWTON
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67114
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 ICT
Departure City WICHITA
Departure State KS
Departure Country
Departure Time 1930
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 9 2002 11:42AM
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 --