- Date
- June 10, 1989, 09:36 local (16:36 UTC)
- Place
- Rainbow Valley, CA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N58323Hughes 269C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 15, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890610015009A
- Case key
- 26231
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
Improper planning/decision by the pilot and his inadequate visual lookout (failure to see and avoid the obstruction). Factors related to the accident were: the adverse weather conditions, the pilot's decision to fly in marginal VFR weather, and the transmission line.
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
Before the flt, the student helicopter plt received a wx briefing, which was forecast to be marginal. He elected to fly, though instructed not to go if wx would be a factor. The flt had been planned for a route to blythe, but after takeoff, the plt proceeded to pauma valley & made an unauthorized stop. A passenger boarded the helicopter & the plt took off again. Subsequently, the helicopter collided with a power line as the plt was flying about 300 ft above an interstate highway. It then crashed to the ground & was extensively damaged. A witness rprtd the clouds were low, but there was no fog. Another witness rprtd mist was falling. About 14 mi sw at oceanside, the wx was, in part: partially obscured, 1000 ft overcast, visibility 5 miles, wind from 160 deg at 4 KTS. No preimpact mechanical problem was evident. The plt held a single engine land airplane rating and was receiving flight instruction in helicopters.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N58323
- Reported as
- Hughes 269C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 790803
- Airframe hours
- 4,847
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-D1A, 190 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Civic Helicopters Inc., doing business as Flight Trails Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Civic Helicopters, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 25, 1989 · 40 hours before
- Departed
- CRQ · Carlsbad, CA
- Destination
- BLH · Blythe, CA
- Flight plan
- 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
- 31
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 96 total · 19 in this make and model · 45 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- NFG, 14 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 N58323 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.