Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

La Habra, California 90631
Sunday, January 26, 1986 5:25 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON JANUARY 26, 1986 A BELL 222UT COLLIDED WITH A 3/8 INCH SUPPORT CABLE. THE PILOT SAW THE LOWER OF TWO OF THE THREE SUPPORT CABLES ABOUT 75 FEET AGL AS HE WAS TRANSITIONING TO FORWARD FLIGHT FROM A VERTICAL MAX PERFORMANCE T/O. THE PILOT APPLIED AFT CYCLIC AND INCREASED COLLECTIVE TO CLEAR THE CABLES. THE PILOT THEN SAW THE THIRD CABLE AS THE ACFT STRUCK IT. THE CABLE BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE TAIL ROTOR AND MOMENTARILY TETHERED THE AIRCRAFT. THE TAILROTOR AND TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX SEPARATED, THUS FREEING THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT INITIATED THE EMERGENCY LANDING BY REDUCING BOTH THROTTLES TO THE ENGINE IDLE STOP TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD WHICH COLLAPSED THE SKIDS AND SEVERED THE TAILBOOM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/26/1986
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 525
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City LA HABRA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90631
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 Unknown
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/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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 Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 62
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 26 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30021
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 2:57PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3177G
NTSB Number LAX86LA098
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 222UT
Aircraft Series Identifier 222UT
Aircraft Serial Number 47502
Certified Max Gross Weight 8250
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 7
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 17 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16
Airframe Hours 1286
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TEXTRON FINANCIAL CORP
Aircraft Owner Street Address 40 WESTMINISTER STREET
Aircraft Owner City PROVIDENCE
Aircraft Owner State RI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02903
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AIR TRANSPORT SYSTEM, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 19511 AIRPORT WAY SOUTH
Operator City SANTA ANA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92707
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 530
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City TUSTIN
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 2:56PM
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 Yes
Medical Flight --