Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Hayward, California 94541
Tuesady, January 12, 1993 20:23 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
DURING A NIGHT CFR PART 135 CARGO FLIGHT, THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL HELICOPTER PILOT AND A CREW MEMBER RECEIVED COMPANY INSTRUCTIONS TO DIVERT FROM THE INTENDED ROUTE OF FLIGHT TO ANOTHER DESTINATION. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS IN THE AREA INCLUDED AREAS OF LOW CEILINGS AND REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO RAIN. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CROSS A COASTAL BAY IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION IN AN AREA OF LIMITED VISUAL CUES AND DECIDED TO REVERSE HIS COURSE. THE PILOT CONTINUED SOUTH AND AGAIN ATTEMPTED TO CROSS THE BAY NEAR A BRIDGE THAT SPANNED THE BAY. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER DESCENDING BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE BRIDGE WHERE VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 1/4 MILE IN RAIN. THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE WATER ABOUT 1/2 MILE FROM THE SHORE AND ABOUT 400 YARDS SOUTH OF THE BRIDGE AND WAS DESTROYED. THE PILOT HAD OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING THAT INCLUDED AREAS OF MARGINAL VFR DUE TO RAIN AND FOG, THUNDERSTORMS, AND SEVERAL AIRMETS AND SIGMETS.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE DARK NIGHT LIGHT CONDITIONS AND RAIN.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/12/1993 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 2023 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | HAYWARD |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 94541 |
| 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 | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1946 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 20 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HWD |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 47 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 4 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 4 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 7 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 50 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Moderate |
| 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) | 447 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jan 12 1993 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2140 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | 50302 |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 11 2000 1:07PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3202A |
| NTSB Number | LAX93FA093 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| 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 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 206B |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 962 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3200 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 5 1992 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 57 |
| Airframe Hours | 10490 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | F.D.S. HELICOPTERS INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 16644 ROSCOE BLVD. |
| Aircraft Owner City | VAN NUYS |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 91406 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | HELINET CORP. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 16644 ROSCOE BLVD. |
| Operator City | VAN NUYS |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 91406 |
| Operator Code | HEPA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | External Load |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Cargo |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Unknown |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 056 |
| Departure City | NOVATO |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1945 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | SFO |
| Destination City | SAN FRANCISCO |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Descent |
| 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 | -- |