Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dillingham, Alaska 99576
Tuesady, May 24, 1988 19:46 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A CESSNA 206 AIRPLANE AND AN AEROSPATIALE AS350D HELICOPTER COLLIDED IN MIDAIR ONE-HALF MILE SOUTH OF THE DILLINGHAM AIRPORT, DILLINGHAM AK. BOTH AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH THE DILLINGHAM FLIGHT SERVICE STATION AND HAD RECEIVED THE APPROPRIATE FLIGHT ADVISORIES. THE CESSNA WAS PRACTICING LANDINGS, AND HAD JUST DEPARTED RUNWAY 19 WHEN IT WAS STRUCK FROM THE LEFT SIDE AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 400' AGL. THE HELICOPTER WAS ON A 14 CFR PART 135 CARGO ONLY FLIGHT, AND WAS IN LEVEL CRUISE OR A SLIGHT CLIMB AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES RELATED THAT NEITHER AIRCRAFT TOOK EVASIVE ACTION PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE HELICOPTER'S MAIN ROTOR HUB AND TAIL BOOM SEPARATED PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT, AND THE CESSNA'S TAIL SECTION SEPARATED AND RIGHT WING FOLDED PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT. TAIL ROTOR BLADE STRIKES WERE VISIBLE ON THE BOTTOM AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE CESSNA, AND MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRIKES WERE VISIBLE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/24/1988
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1946
Event Time Zone --
Event City DILLINGHAM
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99576
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 5
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 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 193
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1950
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID DLG
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 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 680
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 24 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2003
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36547
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:44AM
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 N4882U N353EH
NTSB Number ANC88FA063A ANC88FA063B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Destroyed Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None Ground
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model 206 AS350D
Aircraft Series Identifier 206 AS350D
Aircraft Serial Number U20605140 1338
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600 4300
Aircraft Category Airplane 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 6 2
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour Unknown
Date of Last Inspection May 5 1988 12:00AM May 19 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 75 5
Airframe Hours 4259 3250
ELT Installed Yes Unknown
ELT Activated No Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name STARFLITE, INC. ERA HELICOPTERS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 824 6160 SOUTH AIRPARK DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City DILLINGHAM ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99576 99502
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name STARFLITE, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code EQSA ERAA
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 Unknown External Load
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 -- Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Other Work Use Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes No
Departure Airport Code DLG DLG
Departure City DILLINGHAM DILLINGHAM
Departure State AK AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1945 1944
Departure Time Zone ADT ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere --
Destination Airport Code DLG
Destination City HAGEMEISTER IS
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent Descent
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19 0
Runway Length 6400 --
Runway Width 150 --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --