- Date
- October 15, 1994, 08:25 local (12:25 UTC)
- Place
- Jonesville, VA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N5787AAerospatiale AS-355
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Not reported
- Status
- Completed · report November 30, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941015034889A
- Case key
- 38885
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 failure to maintain clearance from the power lines.
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
On October 15, 1994 about 0825 eastern daylight time, an Aerospatiale AS-355 helicopter, N5787A, operated by Ranger Helicopters, was destroyed after it struck power lines and collided with the ground during an aerial application flight in Jonesville, Virginia. Visual meteorological conditions existed and the commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured.
No additional information is available.
Factual narrative
On October 15, 1994 about 0825 eastern daylight time, an Aerospatiale AS-355 helicopter, N5787A, operated by Ranger Helicopters, was destroyed after it struck power lines and collided with the ground during an aerial application flight in Jonesville, Virginia. Visual meteorological conditions existed and the commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured.
No additional information is available.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5787A
- Reported as
- Aerospatiale AS-355
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 5069
- Engine
- turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- Unknown
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Ranger Helicopters
- Departed
- ROA · Roanoke, VA
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
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Not reported
- Wind
- 90° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TRI
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.