Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jacksonville, Florida 33229
Friday, August 25, 1989 10:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER PILOT WAS ON AN AERIAL OBSERVATION FLIGHT & DESCENDED TO ABOUT 50 FT AGL TO SHOW HIS PASSENGER A MONITORING STATION. HE DID NOT SEE TRANSMISSION LINES AHEAD UNTIL A COLLISION WAS EMINENT. HE PULLED UP TO AVOID A SET OF TELEPHONE LINES & SAW POWER LINES DIRECTLY AHEAD. HE ATTEMPTED A QUICK STOP MANEUVER TO AVOID THE POWER LINES, BUT LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER. IT THEN STRUCK THE GROUND & ROLLED OVER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOK-OUT BY THE PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER, WHILE MANEUVERING TO AVOID OBSTRUCTIONS. THE TRANSMISSION LINES WERE CONSIDERED TO BE FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/25/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City JACKSONVILLE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33229
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 950 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID CRG
Elevation of weather observation facility 12
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
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 --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1157
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 25 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1041
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39308
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:58PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9014N
NTSB Number MIA89LA231
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 HUGHES
Aircraft Model 269A
Aircraft Series Identifier 269A
Aircraft Serial Number 94-0316
Certified Max Gross Weight 1550
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 28 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 6575
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CITY OF JACKSONVILLE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1321 EAST PORT ROAD
Aircraft Owner City JACKSONVILLE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32216
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CITY OF JACKSONVILLE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 421 WEST CHURCH ST.
Operator City JACKSONVILLE
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32202
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) Aerial Observation
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City JACKSONVILLE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 850
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --