Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ray, North Dakota 58849
Saturday, June 20, 1987 8:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT REPORTS THAT HE WAS DEPARTING FROM AN AERIAL APP OPERATING AREA. HE SAID THERE WAS A TREE LINE ALONG A ROAD WITH AN OPENING AND THE TAKEOFF WAS MADE TOWARD THE OPENING. THERE WERE WIRES ACROSS THE OPENING AND THE POLES WERE OBSCURED BY THE TREES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE OPENING. THE PLT DID NOT SEE THE WIRES AND COLLIDED WITH THEM DURING THE DEPARTURE. TAIL ROTOR CONTROL WAS LOST AS A RESULT OF THE COLLISION AND THE ACFT CRASHED TO THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/20/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City RAY
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58849
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 6
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 586
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 20 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 936
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33729
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:28PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N68012
NTSB Number DEN87LA157
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HILLER
Aircraft Model UH-12E
Aircraft Series Identifier UH-12E
Aircraft Serial Number 1500
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 22 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 44
Airframe Hours 2134
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PRO APP FERTILIZER INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1607-4TH AVENUE W.
Aircraft Owner City WILLISTON
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 58801
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PRO APP FERTILIZER, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1607 4TH AVE. W.
Operator City WILLISTON
Operator State ND
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 58801
Operator Code NNQG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
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) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --