Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Los Angeles, California 90007
Saturday, January 31, 1987 7:39 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A SIKORSKY S-58B COLLIDED WITH A MARKED 253 FT AGL ANTENNA TOWER (TWR) WHILE MANEUVERING OVER EXTERNAL LOAD LIFT SITE. THE PLT INDICATED THAT HE WAS SITTING IN THE RIGHT SEAT OF THE ACFT IN A RIGHT DESCENDING ORBIT CONDUCTING A SITE RECON AND THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THE TWRS PRESENCE. THE PLT STATED THAT HE MISJUDGED HIS POSITION RE THE TWR. THE PLT INDICATED THAT HE STARTED A DESCENT WHILE DISCUSSING THE LIFT PLAN WITH HIS CREWCHIEF. BOTH CREWMEMBERS WHO WERE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ACFT WERE LOOKING TO THE RIGHT AT THE LIFT SITE WHEN THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE ANTENNA TWR. THE ANTENNA TWR WAS A PROPERLY MARKED OBSTRUCTION AND MET THE LIGHTING REQUIREMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAA ADVISORY CIRCULAR 70/7460-1. THE COLLISION DAMAGED THE MAIN ROTOR.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/31/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 739
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City LOS ANGELES
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90007
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 1
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 649 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID LAX
Elevation of weather observation facility 126
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 549
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 31 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33701
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:37PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5594C
NTSB Number LAX87LA105
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SIKORSKY
Aircraft Model S-58B
Aircraft Series Identifier S-58B
Aircraft Serial Number 58-692
Certified Max Gross Weight 13000
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jan 30 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 9
Airframe Hours 7478
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ARIS HELICOPTER LTD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1138 COLEMAN
Aircraft Owner City SAN JOSE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95110
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ARIS HELICOPTER LTD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1138 COLEMAN
Operator City SAN JOSE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95110
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation External Load
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code HRR
Departure City HAWTHORNE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 725
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code HRR
Destination City HAWTHORNE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --