Helipad Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Pedro, California 90731
Thursday, August 18, 1983 6:43 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS ON A MISSION TO TRANSPORT COMPANY PERSONNEL & HAD LANDED ON A BARGE THAT WAS BEING USED AS A HELIPAD. THE BARGE WAS ABOUT 250 FT LONG & 75 FT WIDE. AFTER ARRIVING, THE PLT PARKED THE HELICOPTER WITH THE TAIL BOOM AS CLOSE TO THE EDGE OF THE BARGE AS POSSIBLE. HE THEN REDUCED THE POWER TO IDLE & SIGNALED FOR THE 3 PASSENGERS (WAITING BEHIND A ROPE LINE) TO APPROACH THE HELICOPTER IN ACCORDANCE WITH ESTABLISHED OPERATING PROCEDURES. AS THE PASSENGERS APPROACHED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HELICOPTER, THEY MOVED OUT OF THE PLT'S LINE OF SIGHT. WHILE 2 WERE BOARDING, THE 3RD PASSENGER WALKED TO THE REAR OF THE ACFT, DUCKED UNDER THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER & WALKED INTO THE TAIL ROTOR. THE VICTIM WAS TREATED & TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL, BUT SUCCUMBED LATER DUE TO HEAD & SHOULDER INJURIES. A TRAINING PROGRAM HAD BEEN INSTITUTED TO EDUCATE THE PASSENGERS CONCERNING HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH ROTATING COMPONENTS OF THE ROTOR SYS & OFF-LIMIT AREAS. THE PASSENGER HAD BEEN BRIEFED ON 3 OCCASIONS & HAD BEEN A PASSENGER NEARLY EVERY DAY FOR 6 WEEKS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/18/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 643
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SAN PEDRO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90731
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HELIPAD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 5
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 648 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID LGB
Elevation of weather observation facility 57
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 900
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 919
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1633
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21967
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 Registration Number N90958
NTSB Number LAX83FA393
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HUGHES
Aircraft Model 369HS
Aircraft Series Identifier 369HS
Aircraft Serial Number 1280002S
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 14 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 300
Airframe Hours 4893
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRUCE A. STRATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 136 'B' LOUREYRO RD.
Aircraft Owner City MONTECITO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93108
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 635
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Standing
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 250
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --