Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin 53965
Monday, August 14, 1989 18:07 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER, OPERATING AS AN AERIAL SIGHT-SEEING CONCESSION, FAILED TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT AND LANDED HARD AFTER ATTEMPTING A DOWNWIND TAKEOFF FROM A RAISED HELIPAD (PINNACLE). THE INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS TOO HEAVILY LOADED TO HOVER OUT OF GROUND EFFECT AT THE DENSITY ATTITUDE (2500 FEET) OF THE ACCIDENT SITE AND THE CENTER OF GRAVITY WAS OUTSIDE OF THE ALLOWABLE RANGE. THE PILOT STATED DURING AN INTERVIEW THAT HE PERCEIVED A POWER LOSS AFTER CLEARING THE PINNACLE AND WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM WITH THE THROTTLE FULL OPEN. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER SHOWED NO DEFECTS IN THE AIRFRAME OR POWERPLANT. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES AT THE SCENE THE ACCIDENT, THE HELICOPTER TOOK OFF FROM THE PINNACLE IN A GENERALLY EASTERLY DIRECTION. WHEN THE PILOT WAS ASKED ABOUT THE WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE TAKEOFF, HE DESCRIBED THEM AS WESTERLY AT APPROXIMATELY 6 TO 8 KNOTS.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
ATTEMPT BY THE PILOT TO EXCEED THE HOVER PERFORMANCE CAPABILITIES OF THE HELICOPTER, AND OPERATING OUTSIDE THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE LIMITATIONS. THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN THE HELICOPTER'S ABILITY AND HIS SUBSEQUENT FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY PREPARE AND PLAN PROPERLY FOR THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT ARE FACTORS.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/14/1989 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1807 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | WISCONSIN DELLS |
| Event State | WISCONSIN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 53965 |
| Event Date Year | 1989 |
| 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 | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1700 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | VOK |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 910 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 8000 |
| 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) | 15 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 25 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| 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 | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 2186 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 14 1989 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1845 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | 41863 |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 13 2000 12:57PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N49HB |
| NTSB Number | CHI89FA165 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BELL |
| Aircraft Model | 47G-2A-1 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 47G-2A-1 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3562 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2850 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 25 1988 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 35 |
| Airframe Hours | 8463 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | W.E. MCDERMOTT |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | W1814 CIRCLE DRIVE |
| Aircraft Owner City | SULLIVAN |
| Aircraft Owner State | WI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 53178 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | |
| Operator City | |
| Operator State | |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | |
| 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) | Unknown |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | WS07 |
| Departure City | WISCONSIN DELLS |
| Departure State | WI |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1807 |
| Departure Time Zone | |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | WS07 |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 22 2001 3:51PM |
| 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 | Yes |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |