Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cottonwood, California 96022
Sunday, June 9, 1991 7:34 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS HERDING CATTLE ON A RANCH WITH A HELICOPTER. HE WAS OBSERVED TO LAND, GET OUT OF HELICOPTER AND EXAMINE THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER THE EXAMINATION HE REENTERED THE HELICOPTER AND TOOKOFF. THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH AN ELECTRICAL SERVICE WIRE DURING THE CLIMB.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT. THE TRANSMISSION WIRE WAS A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/9/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 734
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City COTTONWOOD
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96022
Event Date Year 1991
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 815 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID RDD
Elevation of weather observation facility 502
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1684
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45561
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:21AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N103AB
NTSB Number LAX91LA257
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model 269B
Aircraft Series Identifier 269B
Aircraft Serial Number 125-0223
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 5 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16
Airframe Hours 2635
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MCAULIFFE, JOE COMPANY
Aircraft Owner Street Address NICHOLSON ROAD BOX 456
Aircraft Owner City FORT KLAMATH
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97626
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MCAULIFFE, JOE COMPANY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address NICHOLSON ROAD BOX 456
Operator City FORT KLAMATH
Operator State OK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 97626
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:21AM
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 --