Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ellendale, Minnesota 56026
Tuesady, January 21, 1986 4:25 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO TAKE A NEWS CREW TO A LOCATION TO COVER A STORY. THE NEWS CREW HAD ATTEMPTED TO HIRE ANOTHER HELICOPTER, BUT THAT OPERATOR REFUSED DUE TO FORCAST LOW VISIBILITY. THIS PLT, HOWEVER, AGREED TO FLY. ALTHO HE WAS CERTIFIED FOR INTRUMENT FLT IN AIRPLANES, THE PLT WAS NOT QUALIFIED FOR INSTUMENT FLT IN HELICOPTERS, NOR WAS THEHELICOPTER CERTIFIED FOR INSTRUMENT FLT. DURING A WX BRIEFING, THE PLT WAS ADVISED OF ADVERSE WX COND. WHILE N1498W WAS IN FLT, 2 WITNESSES OBSD A HELICOPTER FLYING ALONG A HIWAY ON THE PLT'S PLANNED ROUTE AT A VERY LOW ALT. A TRUCK DRIVER ESTIMATED THE ACFT HAD PASSED APRX 2' OVR HIS 13' RIG; HE SAID HE COULD FEEL THE DOWNWASH FM THE ROTOR BLADES. WITNESSESESTIMATED THE CEILING TO BE AT OR BELOW 100' AGL & THE VISIBILITY TO BE 1/8 TO 1/4 MI WITH HVY FOG. THE HELICOPTER CRASHED & BURNED APRX 100' FM THE HIWAY NEAR A PWR LINE CROSSING. IMPACT OCCURRED WHILE THE HELICOPTER WAS IN A SHALLOW DSCNT, HDG AWAY FM THE HIWAY & PARALLEL WITH THE PWR LINE. WRECKAGE WAS NOT FND UNTIL 1150 CST. NO ELT WAS INSTALLED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/21/1986
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 425
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ELLENDALE
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56026
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 1
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 193
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 21 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30283
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1498W
NTSB Number CHI86MA071
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B
Aircraft Serial Number 425
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 20 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 11760
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ODYSSEY HELICOPTER SERVICE INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1735 E. COUNTY RD. F
Aircraft Owner City WHITE BEAR LAKE
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 65110
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 RLA
Departure City MINNEAPOLIS
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 315
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RLA
Destination City AUSTIN
Destination State MN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --