Private Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Danbury, Texas 77534
Saturday, April 21, 1990 21:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT MADE A NIGHT LANDING TO THE OPERATOR'S PRIVATE STRIP AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO TAXI TO THE HELIPAD. INSTEAD, HE TOOK OFF AGAIN AND EXECUTED AN APPROACH TO A CONFINED AREA ADJACENT TO THE STRIP. THE PILOT THEN DISREGARDED THE OPERATOR'S RADIO INSTRUCTIONS TO LEAVE THE AIRCRAFT THERE AND PROCEEDED TO TAKE OFF AND EXECUTE TWO MORE APPROACHES TO THE AREA. ON THE THIRD APPROACH, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK POWER LINES THAT WERE STRUNG THROUGHOUT THE AREA AND CRASHED. THE PILOT OFFERED NO EXPLANATION FOR HIS BEHAVIOR OR DISREGARD OF THE OPERATOR'S INSTRUCTIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID WIRES DURING THE FINAL STAGE OF AN APPROACH TO A CONFINED AREA. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S DISREGARD OF THE OPERATOR'S INSTRUCTIONS AFTER HE LANDED THE FIRST TIME.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/21/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2140
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DANBURY
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77534
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PRIVATE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 30
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2050 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 5
Weather Observation Facility ID HOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 47
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 803
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 22 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 205
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41902
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N287Q
NTSB Number FTW90LA099
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ENSTROM
Aircraft Model F-28A
Aircraft Series Identifier F-28A
Aircraft Serial Number 303
Certified Max Gross Weight 1950
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SALAIKA, TIM
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 757
Aircraft Owner City DANBURY
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77534
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SALAIKA, TIM
Operator Same as Owner? No
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2135
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Approach
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 --