- Date
- December 10, 1986, 13:35 local (18:35 UTC)
- Place
- Cross Plaines, IN
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8982FHughes 269B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 19, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19861210070919A
- Case key
- 13839
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
The plt & observer were on a power line patrol flt. While proceeding southbound, they apchd an area were the lines were about 23 ft AGL & were crossed by another set of power lines, oriented in an east-west direction. The other power lines were about 45 ft AGL with 2 static lines aprx 15 ft higher (60 ft AGL). Before reaching the perpendicular lines, there was a prominent marker on the 4th pole north of the higher lines that warned of the crossing power lines, 1000 ft ahead. As the helicopter was crossing the perpendicular lines, the rgt skid became entangled with the north static line. The helicopter then nosed down & collided with the lower set of lines that were being inspected. It then crashed to the gnd & burned. The helicopter was extensively dmgd by gnd fire. No preimpact mechanical part failure or malfunction was evident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8982F
- Reported as
- Hughes 269B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0190
- Airframe hours
- 6,898
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Helicopters Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 25, 1986 · 27 hours before
- Departed
- SER · Seymour, IN
- Destination
- LOU · Louisville, KY
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 54
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 9,600 total · 4,000 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 34 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LOU, 30 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.
Other investigations on N8982F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.