San Diego Intl-Lindbergh Fld Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Diego, California 92101
Saturday, May 12, 2001 17:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The main rotor blade from a helicopter collided with the right wingtip of a twin-engine transport airplane while it was being marshaled into a ramp area for parking. The helicopter was parked with its rotor blades aligned with its longitudinal axis, and was being loaded with passengers while the airplane was being marshaled onto the ramp area. Four ramp personnel were utilized at the time of the accident; three for the airplane, and one for the helicopter. The ramp person assisting the helicopter stated he escorted the passengers to the helicopter and the pilot loaded the helicopter and closed the door. The other three ramp personnel were positioned around the airplane, one at the nose and one on each wing. As the airplane's cockpit passed abeam the helicopter, the captain noticed the main rotor blades start to rotate. The airplane's first officer was concerned with the distance between the airplane's right wing and the helicopter, but received a "thumbs up" signal from the right wing walker.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the failure of the ground personnel to maintain clearance between two aircraft on the ramp, while one airplane was taxiing and the other was standing with the engine running and rotor blades turning.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/12/2001
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City San Diego
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92101
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude 324401N
Event Location Longitude 1171138W
Event Location Airport San Diego Intl-Lindbergh Fld
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SAN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 14
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1651 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID SAN
Elevation of weather observation facility 14
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.97
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 13
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15190
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date May 12 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1735
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 30 2004 8:14AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-SAN-FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N2102Z N999GP
NTSB Number LAX01LA172A LAX01LA172B
Missing Aircraft Indicator -- --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No No
Damage Substantial Minor
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bell Gulfstream Aerospace
Aircraft Model 206B G-IV
Aircraft Series Identifier -- --
Aircraft Serial Number 3215 1422
Certified Max Gross Weight 3250 74600
Aircraft Category Helicopter Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 5 16
Number of Engines 1 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection May 11 2001 12:00AM --
Airframe hours since last inspection 1 20
Airframe Hours 3500 20
ELT Installed No Yes
ELT Activated Unknown No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name A Natural High Inc. GEP Incorporated, LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5580 La Jolla Blv., Suite 170 177 E. Reno Ave, Hangar G-3
Aircraft Owner City La Jolla Las Vegas
Aircraft Owner State CA NV
Aircraft Owner Country USA USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92037 89119
Operator is an individual? No No
Operator Name David K. Martz --
Operator Same as Owner? No Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address -- --
Operator City -- --
Operator State -- --
Operator Country -- --
Operator Zip code -- --
Operator Code -- --
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? -- --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation -- --
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) Personal Personal
Second Pilot on Board No Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes No
Departure Airport Code SAN LAS
Departure City San Diego Las Vegas
Departure State CA NV
Departure Country USA USA
Departure Time -- 1615
Departure Time Zone PDT PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MYF SAN
Destination City San Diego San Diego
Destination State CA CA
Destination Country USA USA
Specific Phase of Flight Standing - starting engine(s) Taxi - from landing
Report sent to ICAO? No No
Evacuation occurred No No
Date of most recent change to record Feb 3 2004 4:24PM Feb 3 2004 4:24PM
User who most recently changed record COOS COOS
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA NA
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --