Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Galax, Virginia 24333
Tuesady, September 23, 1986 12:42 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
THE HELICOPTER WAS DISPATCHED ON AN EMERG MED SVC (EMS/MED-EVAC) FLT TO TRANSPORT A PATIENT WITH SUBCRANIAL BLEEDING BACK TO A HOSPITAL IN WINSTON-SALEM. BFR TAKEOFF, THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING. AT THAT TIME, WIDESPREAD IMC PREVAILEDTHRU-OUT THE AREA & VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PLT CLIMBED TO 4500' MSL. IN THE LAST TRANSMISSION FROM THE ACFT (TO HOSPITAL DISPATCH), THE HELICOPTER WAS RPRTD TO BE APRX 12 MI FROM GALAX (THE DESTN). A WITNESS IN THAT AREA HEARD THE SOUND OF A HELICOPTER WHICH CEASED WITH A 'THUD' WHEN IT CRASHED. HE LOOKED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE NOISE, BUT HE COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING DUE TO FOG. THE WRECKAGE WAS FND APRX 10 MI SE OF GALAX. THE HELICOPTER HAD CRASHED JUST BELOW THE TOP OF A MTN RIDGE AT AN ELEV OF ABOUT 3500'. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE HELICOPTER WAS IN ABOUT A 20 DEG RGT BANK WHEN IT CRASHED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND DURING THE INVESTIGATION.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/23/1986 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1242 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | GALAX |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 24333 |
| Event Date Year | 1986 |
| 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 | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Witness |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Obscured |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 0 |
| 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) | 1872 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 23 1986 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1530 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | 32362 |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 18 2002 11:28AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\GIUV |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N251CC |
| NTSB Number | ATL86FA264 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BELL |
| Aircraft Model | 222UT |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 222UT |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 47517 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 8250 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 18 1986 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 8 |
| Airframe Hours | 445 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | NORTH CAROLINA BAPTIST HOSP. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 300 SOUTH HAWTHORNE ROAD |
| Aircraft Owner City | WINSTON-SALEM |
| Aircraft Owner State | NC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 27103 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | ROCKY MOUNTAIN HELICOPTERS |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | |
| Operator City | PROVO |
| Operator State | UT |
| 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 | 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 | INT |
| Departure City | WINSTON-SALEM |
| Departure State | NC |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1222 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | |
| Destination City | GALAX |
| Destination State | VA |
| 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 | 0 |
| Runway Width | 0 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | Yes |
| Medical Flight | -- |