Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Frankfort Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Frankfort, Illinois 60423
Thursday, October 30, 1997 3:40 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A witness reported that he was watching the helicopter traveling in an easterly direction flying low above the building when it circled back in a westerly direction somewhere around the east end of the runway. While heading west above the runway it looked like it was getting ready to land. He said that when the helicopter was about 5 to 10 feet above the ground he turned his back getting into his car. He heard an explosion and then a second explosion and when he turned around he saw the flames from above the truck which was parked between the airport and his car. He said he then took a few steps to the east and then saw the helicopter in flames. The helicopter was destroyed on impact with the terrain and a post-crash-fire alongside runway 09/27. A post accident examination of the helicopter disclosed no evidence of any pre-existing anomaly with the helicopter or the engine.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot in command misjudged the clearance with the terrain during a dark night maneuvering approach to a runway. A related factor was the dark night conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/30/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 340 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | FRANKFORT |
| Event State | ILLINOIS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 60423 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | FRANKFORT AIRPORT |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | C18 |
| 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 | 778 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Witness |
| Time of the weather observation | 0 |
| 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 | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Unknown |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| 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) | 1952 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 30 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 500 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:36PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N911RR |
| NTSB Number | CHI98GA025 |
| 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 | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Aerospatiale |
| Aircraft Model | AS350B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | AS350B |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2029 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4300 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 27 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 55 |
| Airframe Hours | 2832 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | AMERICAN EUROCOPTER CORP. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2701 FORUM DR |
| Aircraft Owner City | GRAND PRAIRIE |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 75052 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | ILLINIOS STATE POLICE |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 5400 W 63RD ST |
| Operator City | CHICAGO |
| Operator State | IL |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 60638 |
| 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) | Public Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | MDW |
| Departure City | CHICAGO |
| Departure State | IL |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 244 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | C18 |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2001 10:30AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 27 |
| Runway Length | 3830 |
| Runway Width | 50 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |