Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Agana, Guam 96910
Monday, September 18, 1989 9:36 GST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED ON A VISUAL RECONNAISSANCE/ORIENTATION FLT WITH A PLT & A POLICE AGENT ABOARD. WHILE FLYING AT ABOUT 200 FT ABOVE THE FONTE RIVER (FOLLOWING A VALLEY), THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE THAT CROSSED THE RIVER. DURING IMPACT, THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM SEPARATED & THE HELICOPTER CRASHED IN DENSE JUNGLE. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS EVIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID THE POWER LINE. THE POWER LINE WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/18/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 936
Event Time Zone --
Event City AGANA
Event State GUAM
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96910
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 9
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 1000
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID PGUM
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
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 Light
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) 1528
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 20 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39766
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8134Y
NTSB Number LAX89LA324
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 Hughes
Aircraft Model 269A
Aircraft Series Identifier 269A
Aircraft Serial Number 180763
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 13858
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name U.S. DEPT OF THE INTERIOR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 18TH & C STREETS NW
Aircraft Owner City WASHINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20240
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GOVERNMENT OF GUAM
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Operator City AGANA
Operator State OF
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 96910
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) Public Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PGUM
Departure City NAS AGANA
Departure State OF
Departure Country
Departure Time 829
Departure Time Zone GUA
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 Jun 26 2003 3:16PM
User who most recently changed record JOHB
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 --