Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Antonia, Missouri 63052
Friday, November 19, 1993 3:46 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE MANEUVERING DURING A NIGHT FLIR TRAINING OPERATION, THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED BELOW THE PLANNED MANEUVERING ALTITUDE AND INADVERTENTLY CONTACTED THE TERRAIN. WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE PILOT'S REACTION TO THE INADVERTENT TOUCHDOWN AS AN ABRUPT RECOVERY WITH A STEEP RIGHT TURN INTO TREES. THE HELICOPTER THEN ROLLED INVERTED AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN. NO MECHANICAL FAILURE/MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRFRAME, POWERPLANT, OR FLIGHT CONTROLS WAS FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/19/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 346
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ANTONIA
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 63052
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 11
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 350 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 5
Weather Observation Facility ID SUS
Elevation of weather observation facility 463
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1400
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1683
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 19 1993 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 11 2000 1:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9179F
NTSB Number CHI94GA038
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HUGHES
Aircraft Model 369HS
Aircraft Series Identifier 369HS
Aircraft Serial Number 140554S
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 12 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 4154
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMIN.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2300 HORIZON DR.
Operator City FT. WORTH
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 76177
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 SUS
Departure City ST. LOUIS
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 130
Departure Time Zone CST
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 Maneuvering
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 --