- Date
- December 9, 1991, 20:47 local (Dec 10, 1991, 01:47 UTC)
- Place
- De Ruyter, NY
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N750HMBB BO-105CBS
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report May 5, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911209055319A
- Case key
- 37045
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
An inflight collision with terrain after the pilot experienced spatial disorientation. Factors related to the accident were the night conditions, and the lack of visual cues.
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 medivac helicopter was cruising at 2700 feet (700 ft AGL) when it suddenly entered a right turn of 95 deg in 15 sec while maintaining altitude. This was followed by a descending left turn of 60 deg in less than 5 seconds. The helicopter impacted in a skids level, nose down pitch attitude. The accident occurred at night over an unlighted area with overcast cloud conditions. Interviews and examination of company correspondence disclosed the pilot had a documented problem with night flying and navigation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N750H
- Reported as
- MBB BO-105CBS
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- S644
- Airframe hours
- 2,241
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- Omniflight Helicopters, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Deutsche Credit Corp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · November 6, 1991 · 17 hours before
- Departed
- ITH · Ithaca, NY
- Destination
- Utica, NY
- 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
- 49
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 3,255 total · 89 in this make and model · 2,525 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- N03, 20 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.