- Date
- September 9, 1985, 12:04 local (16:04 UTC)
- Place
- Aiken, SC
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 6 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N117SRMBB BK-117A-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 6638
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Plt was maneuvering helicopter at low alt and into rising terrain. On 3rd right turn racetrack pattern, witnesses observed acft descend slightly, roll into a 45 deg or greater bank and contact trees. The acft started a yawing rotation to the right and contacted the ground at about a 35 deg angle of descent while traveling backward. All seven occupants successfully exited the acft through the right doors. This was a single plt operation and the task load and mission pressures were high.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N117SR
- Reported as
- MBB BK-117A-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 7019
- Engine
- Lycoming LTS-101-650B1, 600 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft · Part 91
- Operator
- Wackenhut Services, Inc.
- Registered owner
- U.S. Department Of Energy
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 27, 1985 · 67 hours before
- Departed
- PVT · Aiken, SC
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,855 total · 143 in this make and model · 2,456 as pilot in command · 34 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AGS, 21 nm away