Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grand Forks, North Dakota 58202
Wednesday, October 21, 1992 19:05 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED HE WAS ON A LOCAL FLIGHT IN DUSK/BRIGHT NIGHT CONDITIONS. HE REPORTED HE HAD THE LANDING LIGHT, POSITION AND ANTI-COLLISION LIGHTS ON, AND 'COULD SEE PRETTY GOOD IN A CONFINED AREA THAT I HAD BEEN IN MANY TIMES.' AFTER SOME MANEUVERING, THE PILOT DECIDED TO LAND. HE STATED: 'I DIDN'T THINK I HAD ANY LATERAL MOVEMENT. I PERCEIVED MY (ALTITUDE) TO BE APPROXIMATELY 3 FEET, I MUST HAVE BEEN HIGHER. I REMEMBER MY LEFT SKID HITTING THE GROUND THEN SORT OF A TILT TO THE RIGHT. MY RIGHT SKID CAUGHT IN SOME DIRT TO THE RIGHT AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW THE HELICOPTER TIPPED OVER.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER DURING A NIGHT LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/21/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1905
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City GRAND FORKS
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58202
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 10
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 1745 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID GFK
Elevation of weather observation facility 844
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 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) 2381
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 22 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47093
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:23PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3625Z
NTSB Number CHI93LA013
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 SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model H-300
Aircraft Series Identifier H-300
Aircraft Serial Number 1194
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 Oct 11 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 22
Airframe Hours 2794
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 8216, UNIVERSITY STATION
Aircraft Owner City GRAND FORKS
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 58202
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address BOX 8216, UNIVERSITY STATION
Operator City GRAND FORKS
Operator State ND
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 58202
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code GFK
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1840
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Landing
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 --