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20000221012719A

Accident · No damage
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FAA accident report · Hiller H-23D · Victoria Island · February 21, 2000

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
February 21, 2000 · 08:30 local
Place
Victoria Island
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Damage
No damage
Aircraft
N61PC
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX00LA107
Reported as
Hiller H23D
N61PCRegistration cancelled Aug 20, 2013 · Hiller H-23DS/N 1309 · Built 1962Airframe modelHiller H-23DEngine modelLycoming VO-540 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Pilot reports, as substantiated by written statement, that he was performing an aerial reconnaisance of a crop of asparagus. Weather was clear & sunny. Pilot stated that he knew of the presence of the telephone wires, but became distracted by the presence of three field workers walking along beneath him. Upon looking up into the sun's glare, he struck the wire, while flying straight & level @ 35 KIAS. The force of the impact spun the iarcraft about its verical and lateral axis'. The pilot, fearing an incerted impact, had the presence to kick full right yaw. This resulted in the aircraft coming to rest on its skids. His next recollection was of sitting at the controls, out in the open; the control stick in hand. He then recalls turning off power, and exiting the helicopter. A physical examination conducted on the pilot at an area hospital after the accident revealed no injuries suffered. The aircraft is a "total loss", as stated by the pilot, and later the owner. Photographic evidence taken supports this conclusion.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT REPORTS, AS SUBSTANTIATED BY WRITTEN STATEMENT, THAT HE WAS PERFORMING AN AERIAL RECONNAISANCE OF A CROP OF ASPARAGUS. WEATHER WAS CLEAR & SUNNY. PILOT STATED THAT HE KNEW OF THE PRESENCE OF THE TELEPHONE WIRES, BUT BECAME DISTRACTED BY THE PRESENCE OF THREE FIELD WORKERS WALKING ALONG BENEATH HIM. UPON LOOKING UP INTO THE SUN'S GLARE, HE STRUCK THE WIRE, WHILE FLYING STRAIGHT & LEVEL @ 35 KIAS. THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT SPUN THE IARCRAFT ABOUT ITS VERICAL AND LATERAL AXIS'. THE PILOT, FEARING AN INCERTED IMPACT, HAD THE PRESENCE TO KICK FULL RIGHT YAW. THIS RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT COMING TO REST ON ITS SKIDS. HIS NEXT RECOLLECTION WAS OF SITTING AT THE CONTROLS, OUT IN THE OPEN; THE CONTROL STICK IN HAND. HE THEN RECALLS TURNING OFF POWER, AND EXITING THE HELICOPTER. A PHYSICAL EXAMINATION CONDUCTED ON THE PILOT AT AN AREA HOSPITAL AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED NO INJURIES SUFFERED. THE AIRCRAFT IS A "TOTAL LOSS", AS STATED BY THE PILOT, AND LATER THE OWNER. PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE TAKEN SUPPORTS THIS CONCLUSION.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX00LA107Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportByron, CAThe pilot's inadequate visual lookout while maneuvering in proximity to wires. A contributing factor was the sun glare, which reduced the wire's conspicuity.Feb 21, 2000 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N61PC · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19870805043249ALow Level Operations · Brentwood, CAThe helicopter impacted the ground during aerial application.Aug 5, 1987 · Substantial damage