Ellington Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ellington, Connecticut 06029
Saturday, December 22, 1984 16:50 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NON-INST RATED PLT CONTINUED FLT INTO IMC CONDITIONS IN A HELICOPTER WHICH WAS NOT EQUIPPED FOR FLT ON INSTRUMENTS. THERE IS NO RECORD OR WITNESSES OF THE PLT HAVING RECEIVED A FORMAL WX BRIEFING BUT IT IS REPORTED THAT THE PLT WAS INFORMED OF FOG MOVING TOWARD AND EVENTUALLY 'SOCKING IN' THE ARPT. THE PLTS REPLY TO THE LAST CALL OF A 'SOCKED IN' CONDITION WAS 'I HAVE THE ARPT IN SIGHT'. WITNESSES SAW THE ACFT HEADING AWAY FROM THE ARPT AFTER HAVING HEARD IT FLYING TOWARD THE ARPT. THE ACFT WAS SEEN TO DESCEND AT A STEEP ANGLE TOWARD THE GROUND JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE SIGHTING WAS SHORT (APROX 3 SECONDS) AND MADE MORE DIFFICULT BY THE REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO FOG AND FADING DAYLIGHT (DUSK). INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL OR PHYSICAL REASONS OF A CONTRIBUTORY NATURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/22/1984
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1650
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ELLINGTON
Event State CONNECTICUT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 06029
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ELLINGTON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 7B9
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 253
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 290
Weather Observation Facility ID BDL
Elevation of weather observation facility 174
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
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) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
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 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) 1138
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28616
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 N84958
NTSB Number NYC85FA048
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 ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R-22-A
Aircraft Series Identifier R-22-A
Aircraft Serial Number 407
Certified Max Gross Weight 1300
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 19 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 505
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM A. KOLOUCH JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 296 BOX MOUNTAIN DR.
Aircraft Owner City VERNON
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06066
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 7B9
Departure City ELLINGTON
Departure State CT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1520
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 3
Runway Length 1800
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --