Milliken Heliport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Spartanburg, South Carolina 29304
Monday, March 5, 1984 21:18 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING A LANDING AT A COMPANY HELIPAD. THE WEATHER WAS IMC WITH LOW CEILINGS AND FOG. THE ACFT HAD BEEN CLEARED FOR A VOR APPROACH MONITORED BY RADAR. THE CO-PLT SPOTTED THE PAD AND CALLED IT OUT TO THE PLT WHO STARTED A STEEP DESCENT. WHILE COMPLETING THE LANDING CHECK THE CO-PLT SENSED A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE OF THE ACFT AND LOOKED OUT. IT APPEARED THE ACFT WAS MOVING BACKWARD AND DOWN. HE YELLED 'WHERE ARE WE GOING?!' THE CAPTAIN ADDED POWER AS THE ACFT ENTERED THE TREES. THE NOSE AND RIGHT GEAR COLLAPSED BUT THE ACFT REMAINED UPRIGHT. THE ROTOR BLADES WERE RUINED BY TREE CONTACT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/5/1984
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2118
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City SPARTANBURG
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29304
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MILLIKEN HELIPORT
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 960
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2000 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID GSP
Elevation of weather observation facility 972
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
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) 12
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 Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 6
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 7
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1381
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 25186
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 N15479
NTSB Number ATL84FA115
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SIKORSKY
Aircraft Model S-76A
Aircraft Series Identifier S-76A
Aircraft Serial Number 760066
Certified Max Gross Weight 10300
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 14
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 21 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 522
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MILLIKEN AND COMPANY
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1926
Aircraft Owner City SPARTANBURG
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29304
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 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) Executive/Corporate
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CUB
Departure City COLUMBIA
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City SPARTANBURG
Destination State SC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --