Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Peterson, Alabama 35478
Monday, June 2, 1986 18:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE EMS HELICOPTER WAS HEARD AND OBSERVED AS IT FLEW AT LOW ALTITUDE DOWN THE RIVER. A WITNESS SAW IT DIP DOWN THEN ATTEMPT TO CLIMB JUST PRIOR TO THE COLLISION WITH POWER LINES ACROSS THE RIVER. THE HELICOPTER BROKE THE WIRES BUT WAS STOPPED AND CAME APART AS IT FELL INTO THE RIVER. THE SUN WAS LOW ON THE HORIZON AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING GENERALLY SOUTHWEST. THE COLLISION OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 2500 FEET BELOW THE MAXIMUM ELEVATION FIGURES FOR TERRAIN AND OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE QUADRANGLE THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING THROUGH. REPORTEDLY LOW LEVEL FLIGHTS HAD BEEN PERFORMED ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS AND HAD BEEN DESCRIBED AS FUN BY ONE OF THE PASSENGERS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/2/1986
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1815
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PETERSON
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35478
Event Date Year 1986
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1750 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID TCL
Elevation of weather observation facility 170
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
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) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1850
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1611
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 2 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31989
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N114BH
NTSB Number ATL86FA156
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MBB
Aircraft Model BO-105C
Aircraft Series Identifier BO-105C
Aircraft Serial Number S-114
Certified Max Gross Weight 5071
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 25 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 39
Airframe Hours 6420
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name METRO AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 625 MARKET STREET
Aircraft Owner City SHREVEPORT
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 71101
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 Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BHM
Departure City BIRMINGHAM
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1740
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City JACKSON
Destination State MS
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 Yes
Medical Flight --