Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Tonawanda, New York 14150
Monday, January 11, 1993 17:23 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
THE PILOT REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE TO DEPART ON A RADIO TRAFFIC WATCH FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. ABOUT 90 MINUTES LATER, THE PILOT REQUESTED ANOTHER SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE TO LAND BACK AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. NO PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED BY THE PILOT. RADAR DATA INDICATED THE HELICOPTER WAS TRAVELLING BETWEEN 50 AND 60 KNOTS AND WAS ABOUT 400 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND JUST PRIOR TO LOSS OF RADAR CONTACT. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED POWER TRANSMISSION LINES 194 FEET ABOVE A RIVER AND DESCENDED INTO THE RIVER. LOW CLOUD CEILINGS, AN OBSCURED SKY, AND LOW VISIBILITY PREVAILED. IT WAS DUSK. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM AN OBSTACLE DURING FLIGHT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT INCLUDE POOR VISIBILITY AND WEATHER CONDITIONS AT DUSK, AND THE PILOT'S EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED FOR THE CONDITIONS.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/11/1993 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1723 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | TONAWANDA |
| Event State | NEW YORK |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 14150 |
| Event Date Year | 1993 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| 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 | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 0 |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Partial - limited by pilot |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1749 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 170 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BUF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 590 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 8 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Dusk |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 300 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Partial Obscuration |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 2 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -4 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 70 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 13 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Light |
| 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) | 434 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jan 11 1993 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1836 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | 50299 |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 11 2000 1:06PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1088Z |
| NTSB Number | BFO93FA019 |
| 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 | HUGHES |
| Aircraft Model | 269C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 269C |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 511057 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2050 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 11 1992 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 24 |
| Airframe Hours | 2271 |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BUCHOLTZ AVIATION |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 9900 PORTER ROAD |
| Aircraft Owner City | NIAGRA FALLS |
| Aircraft Owner State | NY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 14304 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | BUCHOLTZ AVIATION |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 9900 PORTER ROAD |
| Operator City | NIAGARA FALLS |
| Operator State | NY |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 14304 |
| 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) | Aerial Observation |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | IAG |
| Departure City | NIAGRA FALLS |
| Departure State | NY |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1554 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| 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 | -- |