- Date
- April 1, 1988, 04:45 local (10:45 UTC)
- Place
- Springfield, MO
- Injuries
- 3 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N119AEBell 206L-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report July 26, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880401007759A
- Case key
- 34489
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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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 enroute to a vehicle accident the pilot encountered instrument flight conditions. As a result of flying into fog and turning on his night scanner light, the pilot experienced spatial disorientation and failed to maintain aircraft control. The pilot elected to execute a precautionary landing and impacted a large row of hay bales. The pilot received a weather briefing prior to takeoff. Weather in the area was forcast to be marginal VFR with periods of instrument flight conditions. Local weather was addressed by a SIGMET (no. 23C) at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N119AE
- Reported as
- Bell 206L-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 45293
- Airframe hours
- 3,608
- Engine
- Allison 250-C30P, 435 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 1, 1988 · 75 hours before
- Departed
- Springfield, MO
- 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
- 36
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,951 total · 149 in this make and model · 65 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 100° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SGF, 6 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.