What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On November 29, 1998, approximately 1830 mountain standard time, a Mcdonnell Douglas MD-900 helicopter, N977LF, registered to alvac, inc., operated by Idaho helicopters, inc., and being flown by a commercial pilot, sustained substantial damage when it collided with power lines. The collision occured during the initial climb immediately following takeoff approximately eight miles south-southwest of Idaho city, Idaho. The pilot, nurse, EMT and patient were uninjured. Visual meteorological night conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan was in effect. The flight, which was unscheduled medevac pickup of a car accident victim, was to have been operated under 14 CFR 135, and was destined for the st. alphonsus heliport, Boise, Idaho. The pilot reported that due to night conditions, he departed the site in a vertical ascent to ensure clearance from obstacles, before beginning a transition to lateral flight. Shortly thereafter, he felt a slight deceleration and observed an electrical arc. After determing that the flight characteristics of the rotorcraft were acceptable, and a re-landing at the site would be unadvisable due to darkness, he proceeded to his destination. Post flight examination revealed crazing of the windscreen and damage to four of the five main rotor blades. (-23)no narrative
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON NOVEMBER 29, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 1830 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A MCDONNELL DOUGLAS MD-900 HELICOPTER, N977LF, REGISTERED TO ALVAC, INC., OPERATED BY IDAHO HELICOPTERS, INC., AND BEING FLOWN BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES. THE COLLISION OCCURED DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING TAKEOFF APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF IDAHO CITY, IDAHO. THE PILOT, NURSE, EMT AND PATIENT WERE UNINJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL NIGHT CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN WAS IN EFFECT. THE FLIGHT, WHICH WAS UNSCHEDULED MEDEVAC PICKUP OF A CAR ACCIDENT VICTIM, WAS TO HAVE BEEN OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR 135, AND WAS DESTINED FOR THE ST. ALPHONSUS HELIPORT, BOISE, IDAHO. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DUE TO NIGHT CONDITIONS, HE DEPARTED THE SITE IN A VERTICAL ASCENT TO ENSURE CLEARANCE FROM OBSTACLES, BEFORE BEGINNING A TRANSITION TO LATERAL FLIGHT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE FELT A SLIGHT DECELERATION AND OBSERVED AN ELECTRICAL ARC. AFTER DETERMING THAT THE FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ROTORCRAFT WERE ACCEPTABLE, AND A RE-LANDING AT THE SITE WOULD BE UNADVISABLE DUE TO DARKNESS, HE PROCEEDED TO HIS DESTINATION. POST FLIGHT EXAMINATION REVEALED CRAZING OF THE WINDSCREEN AND DAMAGE TO FOUR OF THE FIVE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. (-23)NO NARRATIVE
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.