Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Gillespie County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Fredericksburg, Texas 78624
Thursday, April 13, 2006 18:40 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The 430-hour commercial helicopter pilot collided with unmarked power lines while attempting to depart the uncontrolled airport on an easterly heading from the airport's parking apron. The pilot lost control of the helicopter following the collision with the power lines and the helicopter impacted the ground. A post impact fire consumed most of the helicopter. Several witnesses observed the accident and provided written statements. The uncontrolled airport features a single runway aligned 140/320 degrees, and Unicom services are available. Eye-witnesses reported that the pilot did not hover-taxi the helicopter from the parking apron onto the parallel taxiway to the runway, but instead departed the apron area on an easterly direction between two ramp light fixtures that were 35 feet tall and 150 feet apart. The 32-foot high power lines impacted by the helicopter were located outside the airport perimeter and were 220 feet from the airport parking apron. The wind at the time of the mishap was reported from 190 degrees at 10 knots, with VMC weather conditions; however, the accident occurred during the early evening at 1840. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any anomalies. Maintenance records for the helicopter that were provided did not reveal any discrepancies. The flight logbook for the pilot was not made available to the NTSB during the course of the investigation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the power lines. Contributing factors were the dusk light condition and the pilot's non-compliance with standard taxi and takeoff procedures.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/13/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1840 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Fredericksburg |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 78624 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 301403N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0985402W |
| Event Location Airport | Gillespie County airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | T82 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1695 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1825 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | T82 |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1695 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Dusk |
| 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) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 10 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 190 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.12 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 2 |
| Injury Total All | 4 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 21050 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 13 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 26 2007 11:14AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | San Antonio, Texas |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N123CK |
| NTSB Number | DFW06FA102 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Robinson |
| Aircraft Model | R44 II |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 10190 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2500 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 506.5 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | IL Falconiere Holdings LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 9000 Mountbatten Circle |
| Aircraft Owner City | Austin |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 78730 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Edward C. Nemic |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 6750 Comanche Trail |
| Operator City | Austin |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 78732 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | 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 |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | T82 |
| Departure City | Fredericksburg |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1840 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Private ranch |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 26 2006 3:35PM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |