Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Pyote, Texas 79777
Sunday, March 21, 2004 2:16 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While maneuvering during dark night conditions, an emergency medical services helicopter impacted the terrain near Pyote, Texas, after encountering a gust front that produced localized blowing dust and moderate to severe turbulence. The pilot did not obtain any formal preflight weather briefing before departure or en route. No flight dispatch services were used for the flight. No evidence was found to indicate that the pilot obtained any preflight weather briefing before departure or en route. Radar data depicted the helicopter traveling in a north-northeasterly direct route toward the destination after departing from a hospital. Approximately 34 minutes after departure, the helicopter executed a right turn to the east. About that time, the pilot contacted the company dispatch and began a position report, stating, "...hold on a [minute] dispatch, [approximately 14 seconds later] look at, gimme something to look at." There were no further communications from the helicopter. Radar data indicated that the helicopter continued in a right turn back to the north. Examination of the accident site revealed the helicopter impacted the terrain on a southerly heading in the opposite direction of the destination, consistent with the helicopter turning around again. Examination of the helicopter revealed no evidence of an in-flight control or system malfunction before the initial impact. According to documents provided by the operator, the pilot had accumulated a total of 86 flight hours as pilot-in-command of the accident helicopter make and model and a total of 4,209 rotorcraft flight hours. Reported weather conditions at the time of the accident and near the accident site included strong winds, moderate to severe turbulence, and unstable atmosphere that supported thunderstorm activity.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadvertent encounter with adverse weather, which resulted in the pilot failing to maintain terrain clearance. Contributing factors were the dark night conditions, the pilot's inadequate preflight preparation and planning, and the pressure to complete the mission induced by the pilot as a result of the nature of the EMS mission.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/21/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 216 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Pyote |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 79777 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 312356N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1030732W |
| 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 | 225 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PEQ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2613 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 19 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 15 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 10 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.33 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 5 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 19447 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 21 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 645 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 26 2006 12:42PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Lubbock, Texas |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N502MT |
| NTSB Number | FTW04FA097 |
| 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 | 407 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 53549 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5000 |
| 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 | Feb 28 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 48.4 |
| Airframe Hours | 452.4 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | MED-TRANS CORPORATION |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. Box 2273 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Bismarck |
| Aircraft Owner State | ND |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 58502 |
| 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 | M3XA |
| 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 | -- |
| Departure City | Alpine |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 139 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Lubbock |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 26 2005 11:49AM |
| User who most recently changed record | MCBM |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | Yes |
| Medical Flight | Medical Emergency |