Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Junction City, Kansas 66441
Wednesday, May 22, 1985 13:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ARMY UH-1V AND N7053R, A PIPER PA-28, COLLIDED IN MID AIR AT 700 FEET AGL. BOTH ACFT WERE IN LVL FLT. UH-1V WAS OPERATING ON A MEDICAL EVACUATION FLT WITH A CREW OF FOUR, ONE PATIENT AND TWO ATTENDANTS. THE UH-1V EXECUTED A SUCCESSFUL AUTOROTATION WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND NO INJURIES. THE PIPER CRASHED OUT OF CONTROL AFTER ITS RIGHT WING WAS CUT OFF BY THE HELICOPTER'S ROTOR BLADES. THE ARMY PILOTS REPORTED THAT WHEN THE PIPER WAS FIRST SIGHTED IT WAS 45 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT OF THEIR AIRCRAFT'S NOSE. THE HELICOPTER PILOT BEGAN A DIVING LEFT TURN BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. THE CO-PILOT STATED THAT THE PIPER EXECUTED AN EXTREMELY STEEP RIGHT TURN JUST BEFORE IMPACT. THE PILOT OF THE PIPER RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. BOTH AIRCRAFT HAD THE FORWARD HALF OF THE ROTATING BEACONS COVERED. THE UH-1V WITH TAPE AND THE PIPER WITH BLACK PAINT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/22/1985
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City JUNCTION CITY
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 66441
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1355 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID FRI
Elevation of weather observation facility 1102
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 7
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2691
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 22 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N7053R USA
NTSB Number FTW85FA230A FTW85FA230B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Armed Forces
Type of Flight Plan filed None VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Destroyed Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER BELL
Aircraft Model PA-28-140 UH-1V
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140 UH-1V
Aircraft Serial Number 28-21751 71-20105
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150 9500
Aircraft Category Airplane Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil Military
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4 --
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 15 1984 12:00AM --
Airframe hours since last inspection 10 27
Airframe Hours 2399 4671
ELT Installed Yes No
ELT Activated No Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name JEFFERY M HOCH --
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR #1 BOX 56 --
Aircraft Owner City DWIGHT FT. RILEY
Aircraft Owner State KS KS
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 66849 66442
Operator is an individual? -- No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None 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 No Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code 7K1 FRI
Departure City HERINGTON FT. RILEY
Departure State KS KS
Departure Country
Departure Time 0 1330
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt -- --
Destination Airport Code MHK TOP
Destination City MANHATTAN TOPEKA
Destination State KS KS
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent Descent
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM Jan 3 2002 10:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo JOHB
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length 0 0
Runway Width 0 0
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No Yes
Medical Flight -- --