- Date
- September 24, 1983, 20:45 local (Sep 25, 1983, 03:45 UTC)
- Place
- Pelican, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N9243FHughes 500C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 39775
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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.
In flight collision with terrain/water
Weather condition - fogFactor
In-flight planning/decision - poorCause
Weather condition - rainFactor
Altitude - misjudgedCause
Terrain condition - water,glassyFactor
Light condition - dark nightFactor
Analysis
The acft collided with glassy water during an approach to land in marginal weather on a dark night. The acft was damagedand sank but the occupants escaped with no injuries. The acft sank in water that is over 60 ft deep. The pilot stated that he should not have flown on a dark night into marginal weather conditions. He said the visibility was about 3 milesin rain and fog at the accident site.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9243F
- Reported as
- Hughes 500C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 714S
- Airframe hours
- 3,242
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20, 278 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Temsco Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 9, 1983 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- PEC · Pelican, AK
- Destination
- Yakobi Island, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,115 total · 1,470 in this make and model · 6,000 as pilot in command · 244 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg