20000111000479A

(.19) On January 11, 2000, at 2100 hours pacific standard time, an arrow falcon exporters, inc. OH-58A, N901SF, was destroyed when it impacted terrain in an agricultural field 3 miles southwest of Crows Landing, California. The airline transport certificated pilot, who held a commercial helicopter certificate, and one passenger were fatally injured. The helicopter, operated as a public-use aircraft under 14 CFR part 91 by the san francisco (California) police department, was conducting a night cross-country flight. The helicopter departed from porterville, California at 1900 and was destined for san francisco. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. According to police department personnel, the helicopter was flown to porterville the prior day for routine maintenance and departure for the return flight was delayed due to inclement weather. The pilot received a (pilot) abbreviated weather briefing before departure and was advised that instrument meteorological conditions prevailed along the route of flight and that visual flight rules were not recommended. At 2053, the weather at modesto, 18 miles north of the accident site, was: a few clo uds at 200 feet (AGL), broken clouds at 2,500 feet and overcast clouds at 3,000 feet with visibility of 2 statute miles in fog. En route, the pilot advised stockton approach control that he intended to navigate via interstate highway 5 at 1,000 feet altitude (MSL). He later advised he was descending below 1,000 feet to remain clear of clouds. Radar and radio contact with the aircraft was subsequently lost. The wreckage was located the following morning. The wreckage was located in an open agricultural field about 2 miles east of highway 5. The wreckage was distributed along a linear path approximately 350 feet long oriented approximately 210 degrees (magnetic) with several rotor blade leading edge sections as FAR as 600 feet from the initial impact point. (-23) on 01-11-2000 at approximately 20:58 hours PST, two and one-half miles southwest of Crows Landing, California, a san francisco police department helicopter, N901SF, an OH-58A+, with privacy data omitted acting as pilot in command with one passenger, also a sfpd officer, enroute from porterville to san francisco, CA, collided with the terrain in a plowed farm field, resulting in two fatalities. Post accident investiga tion indicated that at the time of impact the helicopter engine was functional and under power. A continuity check of the helicopter controls indicated that they were functional prior to the time of impact. Terrain surface markings and wreckage distribution indicate that the helicopter was in a descending four degree nose down and five degree right banking turn at the time of impact with approximately 80 knots of forward speed. Initital post accident investigation indicates that the accident is a result of controlled flight into the terrain for an unspecified reason. This investigation is closed without further action. (-23)on 01-11-2000 at approximately 2058 hours PST, two and one-half miles southwest of Crows Landing, California, a san francisco police department helicopter, N901SF, an OH-58A, with officer privacy data omitted acting as pilot in command with one passenger, also sfpd officer, enroute from porterville to san francisco, CA, collided with the terrain in a plowed farm field, resulting in two fatalities. Post accident investigation indicated that at the time of impact the helicopter engine was functional and under power. A c ontinuity check of the helicopter controls indicated that they were functional prior to the time of impact. Terrain surface markings and wreckage distribution indicate that the helicopter was in a descending four degree nose down and five degree right banking turn at the time of impact with approximately 80 knots of forward speed. Initial post accident investigation indicates that the accident is a result of controlled flight into the terrain for an unspecified reason. This investigation is closed without further action. (.4)on January 11, 2000, at 2100 hours pacific standard time, an arrow falcon exporters, inc. OH-58A helicopter, N901SF, was destroyed when it impacted terrain in an agricultural field 3 miles southwest of Crows Landing, California. The airline transport certificated pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. The helicopter, operated as a public-use aircraft under 14 CFR part 91 by the san francisco (California) police department (sfpd), was conducting a night cross-country flight. The helicopter departed from porterville, California, at 1915, and was destined for san francisco. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the nearest weather reporting locations and no flight plan was filed. According to police department personnel, the helicopter was flown to porterville the prior day for routine (50-hour) maintenance. Porterville is the location of arrow falcon exporters, inc., holder of the helicopter's type certificate. Personnel at arrow falcon said that the helicopter arrived in porterville about 1230 on Monday, January 10. The pilot had intended to arrive earlier (about 0730), but was delayed departing by fog in san francisco. They departed from porterville for the return flight at 1915 on January 11th. The pilot's wife said she spoke with him between 1400 and 1600 on the afternoon of the accident, before he left porterville. She did not recall anything in the conversation that suggested he felt he was under pressure to return. He asked her about the weather, and she told him there was a storm approaching and to wait another night in porterville if necessary. En route, in proximity of los banos, the pilot advised stockton approach control that he intended to navigate via interstate highway 5 at 1,000 feet altitude (MSL). Radar and radio contact with the helicopter were subsequently lost. The wreckage was located the following morning. Recorded radar track data (continuous data recording, cdr) was obtained from the federal aviation administration (FAA) stockton terminal radar approach control (TRACON) facility (attached). At 2052:09, the helicopter was 3 miles west of the town of gustine, and about 1 mile east of highway 5. In the next minute the aircraft track veered northeast, away from highway 5, and, in the following minute, the track made a wide left turn to a northwesterly heading, which placed the helicopter back on a converging heading with highway 5 from about 2.5 miles east of the highway. At 2056, the track was back near highway 5 and proceeded northbound along the east side of the highway. At 2056:59, the track was approximately 1/4 mile east of highway 5 and, in the next minute, the track made a right-hand turn to a south-southeasterly heading at which time radar contact was lost near the accident site at 2058:00. In the same 6-minute period, the helicopter's mode-c altitude readout varied from 500 feet (MSL), down to 300 feet, then up to 800 feet, then down to 300 feet, up to 600 feet, down to 400 feet, and then up to 700 feet before radar contact was lost at 600 feet.