Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Deckers, Colorado 80863
Wednesday, October 19, 1988 14:24 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON A CORPORATE FLT THRU A CANYON IN MARGINAL WX CONDS, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH THE STATIC PORTION OF A POWER TRANSMISSION LINE & CRASHED. THE ACDNT OCCURRED WHERE A 2,554 FT SPAN OF THE POWER LINE CROSSED THE SOUTH PLATTE RIVER. THE POWER LINE (WITH LESS THAN 150 FT MEAN HEIGHT ABOVE THE TERRAIN) WAS NOT MARKED, NOR WAS IT REQUIRED TO BE MARKED, ALTHOUGH SPHERICAL MARKERS HAD ALREADY BEEN SCHEDULED FOR INSTLN ON THIS SPAN. ACCORDING TO LOCAL MEDIA PLTS, THE PLT OF N99TV WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA & WAS AWARE OF THE POWER LINE. THE NEAREST WITNESS (ABT 1-1/2 MI FROM THE CRASH SITE) SAW THE HELICOPTER PASS OVERHEAD BEFORE IT CRASHED. ACCORDING TO THIS WITNESS, THERE WAS REDUCED VISIBILITY IN THE AREA WITH LIGHT RAIN. HIKERS IN THE AREA RPRTD RAIN, HAIL, HIGH WINDS & REDUCED VISIBILITY WITH MTN TOPS OBSCURED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/19/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1424
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City DECKERS
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80863
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 10
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 Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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 --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1750
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 19 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1630
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37928
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N99TV
NTSB Number DEN89FA019
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206L-3
Aircraft Series Identifier 206L-3
Aircraft Serial Number 51116
Certified Max Gross Weight 4250
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 27 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 92
Airframe Hours 1952
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KUSA TELEVISION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1089 BANNOCK DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City DENVER
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80204
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KUSA TV
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1089 BANNOCK DR.
Operator City DENVER
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80204
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) Executive/Corporate
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code OV2
Departure City SALIDA
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1345
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code APA
Destination City ENGLEWOOD
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --