Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mansfield, Missouri 65704
Thursday, October 31, 1985 18:50 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER DEPARTING WEST PLAINS HOSPITAL FOR SPRINGFIELD, TRANSFERRING A CRITICALLY INJURED PATIENT, THE PLT OF THE EMS HELICOPTER BEGAN TO ENCOUNTER DETERIORATING WEATHER. THE PLT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE CLOSE SPREAD OF TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT, BUT HAD ADEQUATE CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLT TO CONTINUE. AFTER CRESTING A HILL WEST OF MANSFIELD, MISSOURI, ALONG MISSOURI HWY 60, THE PLT ENCOUNTERED LOWERING CEILINGS AND LIGHT FOG. THE PLT STATED HE DID NOT LIKE THE CONDITION OF THE WEATHER AFTER PASSING THE HILL AND INITIATED A RIGHT TURN TO PROCEED BACK TO MANSFIELD. POWER LINES WERE IMPACTED BY THE HELICOPTER IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PLT INITIATED THE TURN. THE PLT DID NOT REALIZE THAT HE HAD DESCENDED LOW ENOUGH TO STRIKE THE POWER LINES THAT WERE OBSCURED IN FOG AND LOW CLOUDS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/31/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1850
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City MANSFIELD
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 65704
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 10
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1748 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 282
Weather Observation Facility ID SPF
Elevation of weather observation facility 1267
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 32
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 400
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) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1852
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 31 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1923
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29233
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N27689
NTSB Number MKC86FA020
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 BELL
Aircraft Model 206L-1
Aircraft Series Identifier 206L-1
Aircraft Serial Number 45289
Certified Max Gross Weight 4050
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 17 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 76
Airframe Hours 2929
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIR EVAC EMS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1942 DEBRA ST.
Aircraft Owner City WEST PLAINS
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 65775
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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 H63
Departure City WEST PLAINS
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1810
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SPF
Destination City SPRINGFIELD
Destination State MO
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 --