- Date
- August 9, 1992, 13:26 local (18:26 UTC)
- Place
- Madison, SD
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N30SVMBB BO-105
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920809029769A
- Case key
- 15509
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
The pilot's inadequate visual lookout and inadvertent descent.
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 pilot reported he entered a shallow right turn about 200-300' above lake Madison. He suddenly realized he had lost considerable altitude and was in a steep right bank. He said he attempted to level the helicopter and gain altitude but struck the water. He was unaware of any pre impact mechanical difficulties with the helicopter. A post crash inspection did not discover any preexisting mechanical deficiencies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N30SV
- Reported as
- MBB BO-105
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 755
- Airframe hours
- 2,000
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Rocky Mountain Helicopters
- Registered owner
- State St. Bank And Trust
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · July 21, 1992 · 54 hours before
- Departed
- Sioux Falls, SD
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
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
- 42
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 7,835 total · 53 in this make and model · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,700 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BKX, 23 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.