- Date
- November 15, 2012, 07:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Riverton, WY
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N7160VBell 407
- Defining event
- Enroute-change of cruise level: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20121115026119I
- Case key
- 85686
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient altitude to clear power lines while maneuvering at low altitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to follow company operating specifications for minimum altitude.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The helicopter crewmembers were returning to their home base after transporting a patient. The pilot was flying the helicopter at en route altitudes of around 80-100 feet above ground level and struck power lines; he was not following company operating specifications of a minimum altitude of at least 300 feet. The pilot reported that he did not observe the wires until after the initial impact and was able to land the helicopter off airport without incident.
Factual narrative
On November 15, 2012, about 0700 mountain standard time, a Bell 407 helicopter, N7160V, sustained minor damage when it struck high tension power lines during cruise flight near Riverton, Wyoming. The helicopter was registered to Classic Medical Inc., and operated by Classic Helicopter Group, LLC, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. The airline transport pilot and two medical crew members were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight. The flight originated from the Wyoming Medical Center Heliport (WY57) Casper, Wyoming at 0633 with a planned destination of Riverton Regional Airport (RIW) Riverton, Wyoming. The helicopter medical crew members reported that they were returning to their home base after transporting a patient. One medical crew member reported that the ambient lighting conditions were good and no night vision goggles were in use. The pilot reported that he did not observe the wires until after the initial impact and was able to land the helicopter off airport, without incident. The medical crew member seated in the front left seat observed the wires but did not have sufficient time to warn the pilot prior to impact. Examination of the helicopter by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the main rotor blades, tail rotor and swashplate sustained minor damage. The company investigation revealed that the pilot was flying the helicopter at en route altitudes of around 80-100 feet above ground level. The company Operations Specifications (OPSEC) require an altitude of a least 300 feet above terrain and obstacles during day operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7160V
- Reported as
- Bell 407
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 53013
- Airframe hours
- 5,172
- Engine
- Rolls-Royc 250-C47B, 650 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Classic Helicopter Group, LLC., doing business as Classic Lifeguard
- Registered owner
- Classic Medical Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 5, 2012
- Departed
- WY57 · Casper, WY
- Destination
- KRIW · Riverton, WY
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- RIW · Riverton Regional
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
- 30
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 31, 2012
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,750 total · 100 in this make and model · 3,300 as pilot in command · 38 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 25 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.30 inHg
- Observed at
- KRIW, 40 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 5, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.9 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.