ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 39232
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| Date: | Monday 11 July 1994 |
| Time: | 16:18 |
| Type: |  Sikorsky MH-53E Sea Dragon |
| Owner/operator: | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (for US Navy) |
| Registration: | N62505 |
| MSN: | ex Bu 162505 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Kiptopeka, VA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | NAS Norfolk, VA (NGU) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A CESSNA 172RG, N6624R, WAS ON A FLIGHT TO SPOT FISH FROM ABOUT 3500' MSL. IN THE SAME VICINITY, A NAVY Sikorsky MH-53A HELICOPTER WAS ON A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT. THEY COLLIDED IN MIDAIR OVER THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, NEAR KIPTOPEKA, VA. THE 172RG WENT INTO AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT & CRASHED IN THE BAY; THE HELICOPTER WAS LANDED IN A FIELD. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE 172RG PILOT HAD CONTACTED THE DR-1 CONTROLLER AT NORFOLK DEPARTURE CONTROL (ATC) AT 1458 EDT. HE WAS ASSIGNED A TRANSPONDER CODE & WAS RECEIVING VFR FLIGHT FOLLOWING. THE HELICOPTER PILOT WAS NOT IN CONTACT WITH ATC & WAS USING A VFR TRANSPONDER CODE OF 1200. TWO CONTROLLER CHANGES OCCURRED AT THE DR-1 POSITION AFTER N6624R ESTABLISHED CONTACT. AT 1610 EDT, THE 2ND CONTROLLER GAVE A RELIEF BRIEFING TO THE 3RD CONTROLLER & REFERENCED THE 172RG. THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN OPERATING AT ABOUT 500'; THE PILOT THEN MADE A CLIMB (MOMENTARILY) TO ABOUT 6000' TO TEST A FUEL DUMPING SYSTEM. RADAR DATA SHOWED THE HELICOPTER THEN ENTERED A DESCENT & WAS TURNING WHEN IT CONVERGED ON THE 172RG FROM ABOVE & BEHIND. AT ABOUT 1618, THE MIDAIR COLLISION OCCURRED ABOUT 3500' MSL. THERE HAD BEEN NO COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ATC & THE 172RG PILOT FOR ABOUT 33 MINUTES BEFORE THE COLLISION. CAUSE: INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE FLIGHTCREW OF THE HELICOPTER. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: FAILURE OF THE DEPARTURE CONTROLLER TO ISSUE A TRAFFIC ADVISORY.
The helicopter was repaired.
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001206X01819
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 25-Jun-2014 10:01 | Uli Elch | Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Operator, Departure airport, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 02-Jun-2023 05:46 | Anon. | Updated [[Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]] |
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