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| Date: | Saturday 28 April 1990 |
| Time: | 08:00 |
| Type: |  Sikorsky S-58F |
| Owner/operator: | Command Helicopters |
| Registration: | N871 |
| MSN: | 58-898 |
| Engine model: | CURTIS WRIGHT 989 C9HE1 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Southfield, MI -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Cargo |
| Departure airport: | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
THE HELICOPTER WAS HOVERING IN PLACE DURING A ROOFTOP EQUIPMENT REMOVAL OPERATION WHEN IT ABRUPTLY DESCENDED ONTO THE STRUCTURE FROM WHICH THE LIFT WAS BEING MADE. IT THEN NOSED OVER THE STRUCTURE & IMPACTED APRX 10 FT BELOW ON THE ROOF OF THE 15TH FLOOR. THE WORKERS HEARD NO VERBAL WARNING FROM THE PILOT. ACOUSTICAL ANALYSIS OF A VIDEO REVEALED THAT DURING THE DESCENT THERE WAS A STEADY INCREASE IN ENGINE, M/R, AND T/R RPM. POST MORTEM EXAM OF THE PILOT REVEALED FOCAL ATHEROSCLEROSIS 50% LEFT AND RIGHT CORONARY ARTERY, LEFT ANTERIOR DESCENDING, AND LEFT CIRCUMFLEX. THE PILOT & CREW HAD OPERATED TOGETHER AS A TEAM FOR 18 YRS & THE CREW STATED THAT THE PILOT, WITH NO EXCEPTIONS, HAD ALWAYS NOTIFIED THEM BY RADIO WHEN UNEXPECTED OCCURRENCES CAUSED PREMATURE RELEASES. CAUSE: A LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO PHYSICAL INCAPACITATION FOR UNKNOWN REASON(S).
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001212X22875
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 20-Jul-2010 11:40 | TB | Updated [Other fatalities, Nature, ] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ] |
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