Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219
Saturday, September 17, 1983 10:41 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER WAS ON A FLT TO TRANSPORT AN ACUTELY ILL PATIENT FROM ONE HOSPITAL TO ANOTHER. THE AIRCREW CONSISTED OF A PLT & TWO FLT NURSES. DURING ARRIVAL AT THE DESTINATION, THE PLT BEGAN AN APCH TO AN ATHLETIC FIELD THAT WAS SURROUNDED BY TALL BLDGS & A POWER LINE. THE PLT SAID THE APCH WAS MADE ON A SOUTHEASTERLY HEADING WITH THE WIND FROM 230 DEG AT 7 KTS. AT ABOUT 45 FT AGL WITH AN AIRSPEED OF APRX 25 KTS, TRANSLATIONAL LIFT WAS LOST & THE HELICOPTER YAWED LEFT. THE APPLICATION OF FULL RIGHT ANTI-TORQUE PEDAL FAILED TO STOP THE YAW. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN IN A LEFT YAW & THE PLT APPLIED COLLECTIVE. IT BECAME AIRBORNE AGAIN, STILL IN A LEFT YAW, THEN THE NOSE GEAR STRUCK THE GROUND & THE ROTOR BLADES STRUCK A BRICK WALL OF A BUILDING ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE FIELD. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT DESCREPANCIES. THE FLT NURSES REPORTED THAT THE APCH SEEMED HIGHER & FASTER THAN NORMAL. APRX 7 MI NNW AT PITTSBURG, PA, THE WIND WAS FROM 260 DEG AT 10 KTS. THE PLT HAD APRX 30 HRS WITH CLOCKWISE/FRENCH ROTOR SYS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/17/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1041
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PITTSBURGH
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15219
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 Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1100 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID AGC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1252
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2499
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23852
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N72590
NTSB Number NYC83FA244
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SUD AVIATION
Aircraft Model SA316B
Aircraft Series Identifier SA316B
Aircraft Serial Number 1509
Certified Max Gross Weight 4850
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 AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Sep 10 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24
Airframe Hours 5749
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROCKY MOUNTAIN HELICOPTER SERV
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1337
Aircraft Owner City PROVO
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84603
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 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
Departure City MONOGAHELA
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1028
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City PITTSBURGH
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 Yes
Medical Flight --