# Accident 19981129032899A: Doug MD900, Boise, ID, November 29, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 29, 1998, 17:29 local time
- Place: Boise, ID
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Vertical (Helicopter Only)
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: GAKA
- Location: 43.8692° N, 115.6404° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.8692&lon=-115.6404&mi=10
- Aircraft: N977LF (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: DOUG MD900
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA99LA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99LA016) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981129032899A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.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

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB SEA99LA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99LA016), Nov 30, 1998: McDonnell Douglas MD-900 (N977LF), Idaho City, ID, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot-in-command's not obtaining/maintaining clearance with the unmarked transmission lines. Contributing factors were environmental (dusk) conditions, the transmission lines, and both the…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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