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| Date: | Sunday 17 April 1988 |
| Time: | 13:09 |
| Type: |  Aérospatiale AS 355F |
| Owner/operator: | Orco Aviation |
| Registration: | N5777P |
| MSN: | 5022 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 2764 hours |
| Engine model: | ALLISON 250-C20 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 3 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Cajon, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Ambulance |
| Departure airport: | Victorville, CA |
| Loma Linda, CA | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
DURING INCLEMENT WX ON AN EMS FLIGHT WITH A NURSE AND PATIENT ONBOARD, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES WHICH WERE SUSPENDED 36 FEET ABOVE A ROAD. CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH A RETAINING WALL, CLIPPED THE TOPS OFF SEVERAL TREES AND PLUNGED INTO A 70-FOOT DEEP RAVINE. THE MAIN WRECKAGE CAME TO REST ABOUT 220 FEET FROM THE INITIAL POINT OF IMPACT. THE SOLE SURVIVOR WAS THE PATIENT; HE HAD BEEN STRAPPED ONTO A FULL BODY BOARD. DESPITE THE PILOT'S EXTENSIVE MILITARY & CIVILIAN FLIGHT EXPERIENCE & CONCERN FOR FLIGHT SAFETY, THE OVERRIDING LIFE-SAVING MISSION COUPLED WITH JOB PRESSURES CONTRIBUTED TO HIM DELAYING HIS DECISION TO TURN AROUND. ALSO CONTRIBUTING WAS THE DISPATCHER'S/MANAGEMENT'S FAILURE TO READILY PROVIDE THE PILOT WITH ALTERNATE DESTINATION INSTRUCTIONS UPON THE CLOSURE OF THE PRIMARY DESTINATION'S TRAUMA CENTER. CAUSE: PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001213X25488
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 07-Feb-2009 10:17 | harro | Updated |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ] |
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