Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fallbrook, California 92028
Wednesday, December 2, 1992 10:12 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT AND NONFLYING CREWMEMBER WERE PLACING MARKER BALLS ON HIGH TENSION WIRES. THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE DISTANCE FROM THE WIRES AND A MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK THE UPPER GUIDE WIRE OF THE HIGH TENSION WIRES. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM ASSEMBLY. THE HELICOPTER ROTATED AFTER THE IMPACT AND THE TAIL BOOM ASSEMBLY STRUCK THE HIGH TENSION WIRES STANCHION. THE HELICOPTER PLUMMETED, UNCONTROLLED, TO THE GROUND. THE WRECKAGE AND VIDEO TAPE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREEXISTING MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THAT THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE DISTANCE OF THE HIGH TENSION WIRES FROM THE HELICOPTER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/2/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1012
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City FALLBROOK
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92028
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 12
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 Witness
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 877
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 2 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50039
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5035F
NTSB Number LAX93LA057
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HUGHES
Aircraft Model 369B
Aircraft Series Identifier 369B
Aircraft Serial Number 711013D
Certified Max Gross Weight 2100
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 Aug 25 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 8436
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HAVERFIELD CORPORATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8603 S. DIXIE HIGHWAY
Aircraft Owner City MIAMI
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33143
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HAVERFIELD CORPORATION
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 8603 S. DIXIE HIGHWAY
Operator City MIAMI
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33143
Operator Code HXFL
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation External Load
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1007
Departure Time Zone PST
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 10:35AM
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 --