Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Edmonds, Washington 98026
Thursday, September 29, 2005 21:13 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After dropping off a patient, the pilot and two flight nurses boarded the air ambulance helicopter for a dark night cross country flight from a hospital back to their base. A company VFR flight plan was filed. Radar data shows the helicopter departed the hospital, proceeded northbound over ocean water, following the coastline at an altitude of approximately 800 feet msl. Just prior to the loss of radar contact, the helicopter entered a left turn towards the west, away from the shoreline. No eye witnesses to the accident were located. A number of ear witnesses heard a low flying helicopter and then the sound of impact. The witnesses reported low clouds and restricted visibility in rain, mist and fog in the vicinity of the accident site. The closest aviation weather reporting station, located 5 miles northwest of the accident site, reported winds from the southwest at 6 knots, with visibilities restricted in light rain and mist, with a ceiling ranging from 200 to 800 feet. Conditions rapidly deteriorated within 30 minutes of the accident, with visibilities lowering to 1/4 miles in dense fog with ceilings at 200 feet. Plotting the helicopter's flight track on weather radar images indicates the helicopter encountered an area of light precipitation as it approached the accident site. The pilot was instrument rated and met the currency requirements for IFR flight, and the helicopter was equipped and certified for IFR flight. The pilot had been employed as an air ambulance helicopter pilot in the accident area for the past 16 years. He had 7,990 hours helicopter flight time with 4,192 hours in the accident make and model, 2,396 hours night flight time and 672 hours instrument flight time. Examination of the helicopter's maintenance records revealed no evidence of any uncorrected maintenance discrepancies. Damage observed on the recovered wreckage was consistent with the helicopter impacting the water in an uncontrolled descent. Examination of the recovered wreckage revealed no evidence suggesting mechanical malfunction or failure. However, the majority of the helicopter, including most of the flight control system and all flight instruments and avionics, was not recovered, precluding determination of the reasons for the loss of control.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Loss of control for an undetermined reason during maneuvering flight, which resulted in an in-flight collision with water.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/29/2005
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2113
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Edmonds
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98026
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 475102N
Event Location Longitude 1222190W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2117 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID PAE
Elevation of weather observation facility 606
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
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) 29.82
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 21380
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date Sep 30 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 25 2007 2:54PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Seattle, WA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N655GS
NTSB Number SEA05MA202
Missing Aircraft Indicator Y
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
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 Agusta
Aircraft Model A109A II
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 7299
Certified Max Gross Weight 5730
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 54
Airframe Hours 3794
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Ameritech Credit Corp DBA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2000 W Ameritech Center Dr
Aircraft Owner City Hoffman Estates
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60196
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name CJ Systems Aviation Group
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 57 Allegheny County Airport
Operator City West Mifflin
Operator State PA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 15122
Operator Code BAQA
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code WA53
Departure City Seattle
Departure State WA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 2104
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code AWO
Destination City Arlington
Destination State WA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 8 2007 11:35PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
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 --