- Date
- May 22, 1989, 07:08 local (11:08 UTC)
- Place
- Oldtown, MD
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N508SCBell UH-1B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890522012089A
- Case key
- 11459
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Failure of the pilot to see-and-avoid the obstruction (inadequate visual lookout). Factors related to the accident were: the obstruction (static wires), and the lack of visual cues for the pilot to detect the wires.
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
While spraying over hilly/wooded terrain for control of gypsy moths, the helicopter collided with two 3/8 inch shield cables (atop a pwr line) near the boundary of the area to be sprayed. Witnesses saw spray coming out of the spray boomsat the time of the collision. The nose of the helicopter then raise up & fell to the right before the helicopter crashedon the side of a hill. No preimpact part failure or malfunction of the helicopter was found. The helicopter was not equipped with a wire cutter kit.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N508SC
- Reported as
- Bell UH-1B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 60-3594
- Airframe hours
- 5,362
- Engine
- Lycoming LTC-1K-1, 1,100 lbs thrust, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Precision Air Services, Inc., doing business as Colony Helicopters, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Benton J. Oliver
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 18, 1989 · 17 hours before
- Departed
- Warrior Mtn, MD
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 31
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 4,014 total · 1,429 in this make and model · 17 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CBE, 7 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.