ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 39399
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| Date: | Monday 12 July 1993 |
| Time: | 14:59 LT |
| Type: |  Robinson R22B |
| Owner/operator: | J. D. Helicopters |
| Registration: | N531JD |
| MSN: | 1458 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1990 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-320-B2C |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 3 miles East of Weimar, California -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Auburn, CA (KAUN) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
WHILE CRUISING THROUGH A GORGE OVER THE NORTH FORK OF THE AMERICAN RIVER, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH CHARTED TRANSMISSION WIRES ABOUT 550 FT ABOVE THE RIVER, AND THE HELICOPTER CRASHED INTO THE RIVER. A HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICER REPORTED THAT THE SUPPORTING (WOOD) POLES WERE PARTIALLY HIDDEN FROM VIEW BY NATIVE VEGETATION, AND THE WIRES WERE NOT PARTICULARLY VISIBLE. THE COLLISION OCCURRED ABOUT MID-SPAN BETWEEN THE MOUNTAINSIDE POLES WHICH WERE LOCATED ABOUT 2,274 FT APART. SEVEN YEARS EARLIER AT THE SAME LOCATION, ANOTHER HELICOPTER HAD COLLIDED WITH THE WIRES AND CRASHED INTO THE RIVER. FOLLOWING THAT ACCIDENT THE UTILITY COMPANY DID NOT TAKE ANY ACTION TO INCREASE THE CONSPICUITY OF THE WIRES/POLES.
Probable Cause: THE FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO SEE AND AVOID THE CHARTED POWER LINE. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE FAILURE OF THE UTILITY COMPANIES TO ADEQUATELY REVIEW THE HAZARD POSED BY THE WIRES FOLLOWING A PREVIOUS COLLISION AT THE SAME LOCATION, AND PILOT'S COMPROMISED ABILITY TO DETECT THE WIRES DUE TO THEIR LACK OF CONSPICUITY.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX93LA288
FAA register: 2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=531JD
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Sep-2016 15:37 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 10-Apr-2024 12:36 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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