Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

West Monroe, Louisiana 71291
Sunday, June 20, 1993 17:42 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AN AIR AMBULANCE HELICOPTER IMPACTED HIGH TENSION POWER LINES WHILE ON INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB FROM THE MEDIAN OF AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AFTER PICKING UP ONE PATIENT WHO HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT. THE WEATHER WAS REPORTED AS 500 FEET OVERCAST WITH 4 MILES VISIBILITY IN FOG AND RAIN SHOWERS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE FOUR UNMARKED HIGH TENSION WIRES PRIOR TO EXECUTING HIS TAKEOFF

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PLANNING AND PREPARATION PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN OBSTACLE CLEARANCE. FACTORS WERE THE FOG AND LOW CEILING

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/20/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1742
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WEST MONROE
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71291
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 6
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1750 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 82
Weather Observation Facility ID MLU
Elevation of weather observation facility 72
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1000
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 504
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 20 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1810
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 51443
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:23PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N911MT
NTSB Number FTW93FA192
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206L-3
Aircraft Series Identifier 206L-3
Aircraft Serial Number 51171
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 60
Airframe Hours 787
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name METRO AMBULANCE
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 4825
Aircraft Owner City MONROE
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 71211
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name METRO AMBULANCE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 4825
Operator City MONROE
Operator State LA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 71211
Operator Code YIMA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City MONROE
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1735
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City RUSTON
Destination State LA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 Yes
Medical Flight --