Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Doland, South Dakota 57436
Monday, September 9, 2002 21:52 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The helicopter was destroyed when it impacted terrain during an emergency medical service flight. The accident occurred during a dark night, in a sparsely populated area with no lighted ground references. Marginal visual flight rules conditions prevailed along the route of flight. The pilot had a documented history of having difficulty flying at night without lighted ground references. The company base and safety managers reported the pilot's night flying deficiency to the company chief pilot. The chief pilot subsequently evaluated the pilot during a night flight. After the evaluation flight, the chief pilot decided to increase the pilot's nighttime weather minimums for a period of 25 night hours as he gained night experience. The accident flight occurred on the pilot's fourth night mission after being evaluated by the chief pilot. Inspection of the helicopter wreckage did not reveal any evidence of a pre-impact malfunction. A review of the helicopter's daily usage logs indicated that there were no unresolved maintenance discrepancies. The pilot who flew the helicopter prior to the accident flight did not report any malfunctions.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Pilot spatial disorientation while flying in dark night conditions, resulting in a loss of aircraft control; and the company's inadequate remedial actions after identifying the pilot's night flying deficiency over areas without lighted references. A factor to the accident was the dark night conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/9/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 2152 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Doland |
| Event State | SOUTH DAKOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 57436 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 445114N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0980225W |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2155 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 160 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HON |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1289 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 30 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 10000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2700 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 13 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 10 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.16 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1098 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 4 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 4 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 17263 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 10 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 714 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 24 2005 9:13AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FAA - Rapid City FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N400SL |
| NTSB Number | CHI02FA288 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Bell |
| Aircraft Model | 206L-1 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 45235 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4150 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 29 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 18.2 |
| Airframe Hours | 9749.7 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Omniflight Helicopters, Incorporated |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4650 Airport Parkway |
| Aircraft Owner City | Addison |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 75001 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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 | RMXA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| 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 | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger Only |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | SD54 |
| Departure City | Aberdeen |
| Departure State | SD |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2131 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 2SD6 |
| Destination City | Sioux Falls |
| Destination State | SD |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | Yes |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | -- |
| User who most recently changed record | -- |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | Yes |
| Medical Flight | Medical Emergency |