Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hanapepe, Hawaii 96716
Saturday, June 23, 1990 13:00 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ONE HELICOPTER, N8605F, WAS CONDUCTING A PART 91 SIGHT-SEEING FLIGHT FOR HIRE WITH FOUR PAYING PASSENGERS. THE OTHER HELICOPTER, N1103N, WAS PLANNING TO PHOTOGRAPH N8605F FOR ADVERTIZING PURPOSES. N1103N HAD TWO PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS WITH ASSISTANTS ON BOARD. THE HELICOPTER WERE FLYING PARALLEL COURSES. N8605F WAS AHEAD AND BELOW N1103N. THE PILOTS INDICATED THERE WAS ABOUT 100 HORIZONTAL AND 50 FEET VERTICAL SEPARATION. THE PILOT OF THE N8605F THEN LOOKED FORWARD AND THEN TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT OF PHOTOGRAPHING HELICOPTER WAS ABOUT TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE OTHER PILOT VIA RADIO. THE HELICOPTERS THEN COLLIDED. THE LEFT FRONT SKID OF THE PHOTOGRAPHING HELICOPTER STRUCK THE REAR OF THE OTHER HELICOPTER'S MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF PILOT OF THE PHOTOGRAPHING HELICOPTER TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE AND AVOID COLLISION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/23/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City HANAPEPE
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96716
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 6
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1254 Hawaii Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID LIH
Elevation of weather observation facility 149
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation HST
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 10
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1810
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 23 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43603
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:03PM
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 N8605F N1103N
NTSB Number LAX90FA230A LAX90FA230B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial Minor
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HUGHES HUGHES
Aircraft Model 369D 369D
Aircraft Series Identifier 369D 369D
Aircraft Serial Number 490119D 9450
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000 3000
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 5 4
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 7 1990 12:00AM Jun 21 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 63 9
Airframe Hours 2825 4087
ELT Installed No No
ELT Activated Unknown Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name SMOKEY MOUNTAIN HELICOPTER CENTURY FINANCIAL SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 156 15400 SOUTH OUTER 40 RD
Aircraft Owner City HANAPEPE CHESTERFIELD
Aircraft Owner State HI MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96716 63017
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name SMOKY MOUNTAIN HELICOPTERS SMOKY MOUNTAIN HELICOPTER
Operator Same as Owner? No No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 156 P.O. BOX 156
Operator City HANAPEPE HANAPEPE
Operator State HI HI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 96716 96716
Operator Code FNHA FNHA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation External Load External Load
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) Unknown Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code PAK PAK
Departure City PORT ALLEN PORT ALLEN
Departure State HI HI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1255 1255
Departure Time Zone HST HST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 22 2001 3:51PM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length 0 0
Runway Width 0 0
Sight Seeing flight Yes No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --