Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lk Buena Vista, Florida 32830
Saturday, June 14, 1986 18:35 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

MOTORISTS OBSD THE HELICOPTER FLYING LOW OVR & ALONG AN INTERSTATE HIWAY. IN THE VICINITY OF A HIWAY REST AREA, THE HELICOPTER MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE HIWAY, THEN FLEW BACK OVR THE MEDIAN. TWO WITNESSES SAID IT CAME TO A HOVER, THEN STARTED TO CONTINUE ALONG THE ROADWAY. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT HIT A PWR LINE THAT CROSSED OVR THE HIWAY & CRASHED ONTO THE MEDIAN AFTER TRAVELING ANOTHER 426 FT. AFTER IMPACTING THE MEDIAN, THE HELICOPTER TRAVELED ANOTHER 57 FT BEFORE COMING TO REST. THE ACDNT OCCURRED IN THE VICINITY OF WHERE THE PLT'S WIFE & A FRIEND OF THE PASSENGER WERE TRAVELING BY AUTO. THE PLT & HIS WIFE DENIED KNOWING EACH OTHER WERE IN THE VICINITY; ALTHO, BOTH WERE RETURNING FROM THE SAME RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY. THE PLT STATED THAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT THE REST AREA DUE TO BAD WX. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT DRG THE ACDNT, THE ROTOR OF THE HELICOPTER HIT THE PWR LINE ABOUT 28 FT AGL. A WITNESS SAID THAT LIGHT RAIN WAS FALLING WHEN THE ACDNT OCCURRED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/14/1986
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1835
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LK BUENA VISTA
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32830
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1855 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID MCO
Elevation of weather observation facility 96
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1218
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 14 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1955
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31577
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 N8400C
NTSB Number MIA86FA181
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 ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R22 HP
Aircraft Series Identifier R22 HP
Aircraft Serial Number 0346
Certified Max Gross Weight 1300
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 3 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 1039
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES L. KENNEDY
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 8625A
Aircraft Owner City ORLANDO
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32856
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City LAKE WALES
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ORL
Destination City ORLANDO
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --