- Date
- May 8, 1986, 11:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Wrightsville, NC
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N158HPBell UH-1B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860508071839I
- Case key
- 7212
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
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.
Propeller/rotor contact to person
Object - utility pole
Clearance - not maintainedCause
Analysis
The plt reported that he was about to descend from a high hover to land in an open field adjacent to a hotel parking lot when the tips of both main rotor blades contacted a light pole. The plt maneuvered away from the pole and landed in the open field. Several automobiles in the parking lot sustained minor damage from flying debris.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N158HP
- Reported as
- Bell UH-1B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 401(62-1881)
- Airframe hours
- 6,340
- Engine
- Lycoming T53-L-11D, 1,100 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Southern Aero Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 9, 1985 · 241 hours before
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 7,000 total · 1,359 in this make and model · 6,800 as pilot in command · 58 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 225° at 20 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.