Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Agoura Hills, California 91301
Wednesday, June 30, 1993 10:35 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A PUBLIC USE HELICOPTER WAS ENGAGED IN DISPENSING SMALL PLASTIC BALLS FROM AN AERIAL IGNITION DEVICE TO ASSIST FIRE UNITS IN A CONTROLLED BURN OF ABOUT 500 ACRES OF GRASSLAND. THE PLASTIC BALLS CONTAINING POSSAIUM PERMANGANATE, PRODUCED FLAME IN ABOUT 30 SECONDS AFTER BEING INJECTED WITH ETHYLENE GLYCOL. THE ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE UNIT WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED SO AS TO BE CONTROLLED BY THE PILOT, INSTEAD OF BEING CONTROLLED BY THE CREW CHIEF. WHILE SITTING ON A HILL TOP WITH THE ROTORS TURNING AT FLIGHT IDLE, THE CREW CHIEF CONFIGURED THE UNIT FOR THE NEXT FLIGHT WITHOUT INFORMING THE PILOT THAT ANY ACTIVATION OF THE POWER SWITCH WOULD BEGIN DISPENSING OF THE BALLS. A FIRE BEGAN UNDER THE HELICOPTER AND SPREAD INTO THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR BURNS AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY THE GRASS FIRE. THE AVIATION UNIT DOES NOT HAVE A FORMAL TRAINING SYLLABUS FOR THE OPERATION OF THE AERIAL IGNITION DEVICE.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The improper configuration of the aerial ignition device by the crew chief and an inadvertent activation of the unit by the pilot. The improper installation and configuration of the unit by maintenance personnel, inadequate crew coordination, and insufficient aviation unit operational standards were factors in this accident.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/30/1993 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1035 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | AGOURA HILLS |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 91301 |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| 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 | Dawn |
| 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) | 20 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 240 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1121 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 30 1993 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1054 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 11 2000 1:23PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N911VC |
| NTSB Number | LAX93GA270 |
| 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 | BELL |
| Aircraft Model | 206L-3 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 206L-3 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 51172 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4150 |
| 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 | 7 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 2 1993 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 38 |
| Airframe Hours | 2009 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | VENTURA COUNTY SHERIFF |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 800 S. VICTORIA AVE. |
| Aircraft Owner City | VENTURA |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 93003 |
| 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) | Public Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | CMA |
| Departure City | CAMARILLO |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 530 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Standing |
| 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 | -- |