Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wenatchee, Washington 98802
Saturday, May 30, 1992 7:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING FINAL APPROACH TO LAND, THE HELICOPTER'S RIGHT SPRAY BOOM STRUCK A METAL FENCE POST RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL. THE HELICOPTER SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN AFTER THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES IMPACTED NEARBY POWER LINES. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE FENCE POST AND THAT THE HELICOPTER'S WINDSCREEN WAS OBSCURED WITH CHEMICAL SPRAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: OBJECT (FENCE POST) AND WINDSHIELD DIRTY (FOGGY)

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/30/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 700
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City WENATCHEE
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98802
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 5
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 646 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID EAT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1245
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
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) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2106
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 30 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 808
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46815
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:56PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N86239
NTSB Number SEA92LA112
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ENSTROM
Aircraft Model 280FX
Aircraft Series Identifier 280FX
Aircraft Serial Number 2008
Certified Max Gross Weight 2600
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 Feb 14 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 80
Airframe Hours 925
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FALCON WEST HELICOPTERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2025 MCELDOWNEY ROAD
Aircraft Owner City MALAGA
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98828
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PFISTERS FARM AVIATION INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 0
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code WYKG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City MALAGA
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 645
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 Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --