Reedly Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Parlier, California 93648
Sunday, January 21, 1990 21:20 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT OBTAINED THE WX CONDITIONS AT THE PRIVATELY OWNED HELIPAD BEFORE DEPG ON THE ACDNT FLT. WHILE EN ROUTE TO THE HELIPAD, HE OBSERVED GROUND FOG IN THE AREA. THE GND FOG BECAME SO DENSE THAT HE OVERFLEW THE HELIPAD AND ENTERED THE FOG. WHILE LOOKING FOR A VISUAL REFERENCE, THE HELICOPTER'S DESCENT RATE INCREASED. BEFORE THE PLT COULD ARREST THE DESCENT, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FLIGHT INTO THE KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER AND HIS INADVERTENT DESCENT TO THE GROUND. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE FOG CONDITION AND SPATIAL DISORIENTATION OF THE PILOT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/21/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2120
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City PARLIER
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93648
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport REEDLY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 032
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 218
Airport Elevation 383
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
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 --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 380
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 21 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2312
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41315
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8013K
NTSB Number LAX90LA076
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 ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R22B
Aircraft Series Identifier R22B
Aircraft Serial Number 0968
Certified Max Gross Weight 1370
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 3 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 44
Airframe Hours 296
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM R. HOSE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6141 SOUTH RIVERBEND
Aircraft Owner City PARLIER
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93648
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City CHOWCHILLA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2040
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --