Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cross Plaines, Indiana 47017
Wednesday, December 10, 1986 13:35 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT & OBSERVER WERE ON A POWER LINE PATROL FLT. WHILE PROCEEDING SOUTHBOUND, THEY APCHD AN AREA WERE THE LINES WERE ABOUT 23 FT AGL & WERE CROSSED BY ANOTHER SET OF POWER LINES, ORIENTED IN AN EAST-WEST DIRECTION. THE OTHER POWER LINES WERE ABOUT 45 FT AGL WITH 2 STATIC LINES APRX 15 FT HIGHER (60 FT AGL). BEFORE REACHING THE PERPENDICULAR LINES, THERE WAS A PROMINENT MARKER ON THE 4TH POLE NORTH OF THE HIGHER LINES THAT WARNED OF THE CROSSING POWER LINES, 1000 FT AHEAD. AS THE HELICOPTER WAS CROSSING THE PERPENDICULAR LINES, THE RGT SKID BECAME ENTANGLED WITH THE NORTH STATIC LINE. THE HELICOPTER THEN NOSED DOWN & COLLIDED WITH THE LOWER SET OF LINES THAT WERE BEING INSPECTED. IT THEN CRASHED TO THE GND & BURNED. THE HELICOPTER WAS EXTENSIVELY DMGD BY GND FIRE. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS EVIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/10/1986
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1335
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City CROSS PLAINES
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47017
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 12
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID LOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 497
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
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) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2744
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 10 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1332
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35296
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 5:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8982F
NTSB Number CHI87MA053
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HUGHES
Aircraft Model 269B
Aircraft Series Identifier 269B
Aircraft Serial Number 0190
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 25 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 27
Airframe Hours 6898
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HELICOPTERS INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOWMAN FIELD
Aircraft Owner City LOUISVILLE
Aircraft Owner State KY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 40205
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Observation
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SER
Departure City SEYMOUR
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1315
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LOU
Destination City LOUISVILLE
Destination State KY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 No
Medical Flight --