Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cajon, California 92358
Sunday, April 17, 1988 13:09 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING INCLEMENT WX ON AN EMS FLIGHT WITH A NURSE AND PATIENT ONBOARD, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES WHICH WERE SUSPENDED 36 FEET ABOVE A ROAD. CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH A RETAINING WALL, CLIPPED THE TOPS OFF SEVERAL TREES AND PLUNGED INTO A 70-FOOT DEEP RAVINE. THE MAIN WRECKAGE CAME TO REST ABOUT 220 FEET FROM THE INITIAL POINT OF IMPACT. THE SOLE SURVIVOR WAS THE PATIENT; HE HAD BEEN STRAPPED ONTO A FULL BODY BOARD. DESPITE THE PILOT'S EXTENSIVE MILITARY & CIVILIAN FLIGHT EXPERIENCE & CONCERN FOR FLIGHT SAFETY, THE OVERRIDING LIFE-SAVING MISSION COUPLED WITH JOB PRESSURES CONTRIBUTED TO HIM DELAYING HIS DECISION TO TURN AROUND. ALSO CONTRIBUTING WAS THE DISPATCHER'S/MANAGEMENT'S FAILURE TO READILY PROVIDE THE PILOT WITH ALTERNATE DESTINATION INSTRUCTIONS UPON THE CLOSURE OF THE PRIMARY DESTINATION'S TRAUMA CENTER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/17/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1309
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CAJON
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92358
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 4
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 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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
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) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2361
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 17 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1435
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39075
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:41AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5777P
NTSB Number LAX88FA163
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model AS355F
Aircraft Series Identifier AS355F
Aircraft Serial Number 5022
Certified Max Gross Weight 5070
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 7 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 9
Airframe Hours 2764
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PS EXECUTIVE SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6741 FLIGHT ROAD
Aircraft Owner City RIVERSIDE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92504
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ORCO AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6741 FLIGHT ROAD
Operator City RIVERSIDE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92504
Operator Code RAS
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City VICTORVILLE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1240
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City LOMA LINDA
Destination State CA
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight Yes
Medical Flight --