Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Manapouri New Zealand
Tuesady, March 28, 2000 10:15

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On March 28, 2000, at 1015 local time, a McDonnell Douglas 369FF helicopter, New Zealand registration ZK-HJN, collided with power lines while approaching a landing spot near Manapouri, New Zealand. The helicopter was operated by Fiordland Helicopters of Te Anau, New Zealand, and was engaged in commercial passenger transportation under the provisions of the New Zealand civil aviation regulations. The helicopter was destroyed in the accident sequence. The commercial pilot and four passengers sustained fatal injuries. The passengers were all U.S. citizens. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Te Anau aerodrome at 0940 hours local time as a nonstop on-demand passenger flight to Manapouri. The accident is under the jurisdiction of and is being investigated by the New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission. Further information can be obtained from: Transport Accident Investigation Commission Level 14, 114 The Terrace P.O. Box 10-323 Wellington 6036, New Zealand Telephone 64 4 473 3112 Web Site: www.taic.org.nz

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/28/2000
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1015
Event Time Zone --
Event City MANAPOURI
Event State --
Event Country NEW ZEALAND
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 3
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 Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
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 Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height 18000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
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 5
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 5
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 0
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 29 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1052
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number --
NTSB Number LAX00WA138
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Non-U.S., Commercial
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Unknown
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name McDonnell Douglas
Aircraft Model 369FF
Aircraft Series Identifier 369FF
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BOX 180
Operator City TE ANAU
Operator State OF
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City TE ANAU
Departure State OF
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Oct 22 2001 3:26PM
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 --