Hermann Hospital Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houston, Texas 77030
Sunday, April 9, 1989 6:49 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERD FM A TEMPORARY LNDG ZONE (LZ) IN A PARKING LOT, WHILE THE HOSPITAL HELIPORT WAS BEING RESURFACED. AS THE PLT WAS PREPARING TO TAKEOFF AT NGT TO GET A PATIENT AT ANOTHER LCTN, HE NOTED PSNL IN THE AREA OF THE LZ & ADZD THE DISPATCHER OF THE LACK OF SECURITY. AT THAT TIME, THE WX (10 MI EAST AT HOUSTON HOBBY ARPT) WAS IN PART: 900' OVC, VIS 8 MI WITH LIGHT DRIZZLE, WIND FM 040 DEG AT 14 KTS. THE PLT BGN A VERTICAL TAKEOFF TO CLR OBSTACLES.HE RPRTD THAT AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE HELICOPTER ENCTRD TURBC & A VENTURI EFFECT FM WIND BLOWING AROUND THE BUILDINGS. ALSO,HE INDCD THAT HIS VISUAL QUES WERE REDUCED AS HE WAS WAS WATCHING FOR PEOPLE IN THE AREA OF THE LZ. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER DRIFT BACKWARD. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TAIL ROTOR CONTACTED THE TOP OF A GARAGE, THEN THE HELICOPTER BGN AN UNCTLD SPIN & CRASHED. THE PLT & BOTH MEDICAL CREW MEMBERS WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE OBSTRUCTION (GARAGE). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, PERSONNEL IN THE AREA OF THE TEMPORARY HELIPORT, LACK OF SECURITY PROVIDED BY HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT, WHICH RESULTED IN A NECESSITY FOR THE PLT TO DIVERT HIS ATTENTION, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF VISUAL QUES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/9/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 649
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HOUSTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77030
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HERMANN HOSPITAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 20
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 652 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID HOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 20
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 900
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) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
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 Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 3
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2131
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 9 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41719
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N120HH
NTSB Number FTW89FA078
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MBB
Aircraft Model BK-117A-4
Aircraft Series Identifier BK-117A-4
Aircraft Serial Number 7132
Certified Max Gross Weight 7055
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 29 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 46
Airframe Hours 529
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BELL ATLANTIC TRICON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3200 PARK CENTER DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City COSTA MESA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92676
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HERMANN TRUST
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6411 FANNIN
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77030
Operator Code
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 649
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City CHANNELVIEW
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight Yes
Medical Flight --