Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ventura, California 93001
Sunday, September 4, 1983 3:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER WAS OBSERVED DESCENDING 'STRAIGHT DOWN' & 'NOSE FIRST.' THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED ABOUT 200 YDS OFFSHORE IN ABOUT 30 FT OF WATER. WITNESSES STATED THAT IT WAS DARK & HAZY. THEY WERE ABLE TO SEE THE ACFT LIGHTS, BUT NOT THE STARS. THE PLT DID NOT HOLD A ROTORCRAFT HELICOPTER RATING. ACCORDING TO ACQUAINTANCES, THE NIGHT OVER-WATER FLIGHT WAS HABITUAL FOR THE PLT, WHO FLEW BETWEEN HIS TWO BUSINESSES IN VENTURA, CA & GOLETA, CA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/4/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 315
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City VENTURA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93001
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 9
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 255 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID NTD
Elevation of weather observation facility 13
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2407
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22729
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8500N
NTSB Number LAX83FA420
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HUGHES
Aircraft Model 369HS
Aircraft Series Identifier 369HS
Aircraft Serial Number 1000263S
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 6 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MBK, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8540 BIRCH ST.
Aircraft Owner City PORTLAND
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97459
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAIME FONT & MBK,INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1510 ANCHORS WAY DR.
Operator City VENTURA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93001
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SBA
Departure City SANTA BARBARA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OXR
Destination City OXNARD
Destination State CA
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --