- Date
- July 8, 1987, 02:20 local (09:20 UTC)
- Place
- Cupertino, CA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N160BKMBB BK117A-3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report July 10, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870708061949I
- Case key
- 25437
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.
Analysis
A mbb BK117A-3 helicopter collided with wires while on final approach to an asphalt road in close proximity to a traffic accident. Night VMC prevailed at the time. The pilot indicated that he did not see the wires and was unaware of the collision until he was informed by ground personnel. The pilot stated that he had made 'numerous orbits' prior to beginning his descent for the landing. The pilot also indicated that his vision was hampered by blowing dust from the helicopter's rotorwash and that he was blinded by a spotlight on a law enforcement vehicle. The flight nurse who was occupying the right seat facing aft also indicated that the conditions were dusty and ground personnel had pointed the light in the pilots face. The pilot also indicated communications with ground personnel was often garbled.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N160BK
- Reported as
- MBB BK117A-3
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 7060
- Airframe hours
- 836
- Engine
- Lycoming LTS-101-650B1, 592 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Rocky Mountain Helicopters, doing business as Life Flight [Ems]
- Registered owner
- Mdfc Equipment Leasing Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · June 21, 1987 · 36 hours before
- Departed
- Palo Alto, CA
- Destination
- Cupertino, CA
- Airport
- SJC
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 40
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 10,940 total · 210 in this make and model · 9,730 as pilot in command · 53 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 270° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 50 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.