Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Los Banos, California 93635
Thursday, August 9, 1990 9:43 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF A UH12E HILLER HELICOPTER, THAT WAS ENGAGED IN AERIAL APPLICATION OF LIQUID CHIMICALS, COLLIDED WITH A TELEPHONE RESIDENTIAL SERVICE LINE WHILE MAKING HIS LAST PASS. HE STATED THAT HE FAILED TO SEE A WIRE LEADING TO THE HOUSE DURING HIS INITIAL RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AFTER CONTACTING THE WIRE AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. A POSTCRASH FIRE DESTROYED THE AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A LOOKOUT FOR OBSTRUCTIONS ALONG HIS SWATH RUN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/9/1990
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 943
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LOS BANOS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93635
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 8
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 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 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 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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1200
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1017
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 9 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1043
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42238
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N117HA
NTSB Number LAX90DVA08
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HILLER
Aircraft Model UH-12-E
Aircraft Series Identifier UH-12-E
Aircraft Serial Number HA3017
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 18 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 35
Airframe Hours 5200
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PATTERSON FLYING SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2549 SPERRY AVE.
Aircraft Owner City PATTERSON
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95363
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PATTERSON FLYING SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2549 SPERRY AVE.
Operator City PATTERSON
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95363
Operator Code RPNG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
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) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 938
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering - aerial application
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --