Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Seattle, Washington 98121
Wednesday, November 17, 1999 12:10 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot of N5735A reported that he was transitioning the area of Lake Union (on a local electronic news gathering flight) in a south-southwesterly direction when the two aircraft collided. He stated that he simultaneously saw the other aircraft and felt the impact. After the collision, the pilot initiated a descent and landed on a nearby helipad. The pilot reported that prior to the collision he was monitoring the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) for Lake Union (122.90). He stated that just before transitioning the area he reported his position, altitude and heading on 122.90. The pilot of N206AC reported that he departed Boeing Field and was proceeding northbound. He stated that he had just cleared Boeing's Delta airspace and switched to Seattle Radio (122.50) when he '...experienced a loud bang and vibration in the main rotor system'. The pilot initiated a descent to a nearby helipad, and was able to land without further incident. The pilot stated he did not see the other aircraft before, or after the collision. There were no reported mechanical failures or malfunctions that may of contributed to the accident. A calculated convergence angle between the two aircraft indicated that there were no visual restrictions that would have prevented the pilot from seeing the other aircraft.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Adequate separation and lookout not maintained by the pilots of both aircraft.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/17/1999 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1210 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | SEATTLE |
| Event State | WASHINGTON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 98121 |
| Event Date Year | 1999 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | Yes |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1153 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 145 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BFI |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 18 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 7 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1700 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 360 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| 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 | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1790 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 17 1999 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1222 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 25 2001 4:45AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
||
|---|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
Aircraft #2 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N206AC | N5735A |
| NTSB Number | SEA00FA021A | SEA00FA021B |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- | -- |
| Damage | Substantial | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Bell | Bell |
| Aircraft Model | 206L-3 | 206B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 206L-3 | 206B |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 51545 | 3002 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4150 | 3200 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 7 | 5 |
| Number of Engines | 1 | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 17 1999 12:00AM | Oct 16 1999 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 1 | 76 |
| Airframe Hours | 1698 | 10969 |
| ELT Installed | Yes | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | AERO-COPTERS, INC. | WPXI INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 8535 PERIMETER ROAD SOUTH #4 | 1400 LAKE HEARN DR NE |
| Aircraft Owner City | SEATTLE | ATLANTA |
| Aircraft Owner State | WA | GA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | ||
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 98108 | 30319 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- | -- |
| Operator Name | KIRO INC. | |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes | No |
| Operator Street Address | 2807 - 3RD AVE. | |
| Operator City | SEATTLE | |
| Operator State | WA | |
| Operator Country | ||
| Operator Zip code | 98121 | |
| Operator Code | ||
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown | 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) | Business | Business |
| Second Pilot on Board | No | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No | No |
| Departure Airport Code | BFI | BFI |
| Departure City | SEATTLE | SEATTLE |
| Departure State | WA | WA |
| Departure Country | ||
| Departure Time | 1205 | 1130 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | YVR | |
| Destination City | VANCOUVER | |
| Destination State | BC | |
| Destination Country | ||
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 25 2001 4:10AM | May 25 2001 4:10AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 0 | 0 |
| Runway Length | -- | -- |
| Runway Width | -- | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No | No |
| Medical Flight | -- | -- |