Serious incident Bell 412 N412UT,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 365985
 
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Date:Friday 2 November 1990
Time:22:25 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic B412 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Bell 412
Owner/operator:University Of Tennessee
Registration: N412UT
MSN: 33025
Year of manufacture:1981
Engine model:P&W PT6T-3B
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage: Minor
Category:Serious incident
Location:Knoxville, TN -   United States of America
Phase: Initial climb
Nature:Unknown
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
THE NIGHT, VFR FLIGHT WAS DISPATCHED TO A STRETCH OF INTERSTATE HIGHWAY TO PICK UP A PATIENT. PRIOR TO LANDING THE LZ WAS SEARCHED FOR OBSTRUCTIONS WITH THE 'NIGHT SUN', AND THE GROUND PERSONNEL ALSO INSPECTED THE LZ. NO OBSTRUCTIONS WERE REPORTED OR OBSERVED IN THE IMMEDIATE LZ AREA. AFTER LANDING, THE PILOT ALSO WALKED THE DEPARTURE CORRIDOR WITH A FLASHLIGHT. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH FOUR WIRES WHICH WERE STRUNG ACROSS THE HIGHWAY. NEITHER THE FLIGHT CREW NOR THE GROUND PERSONNEL SAW THE WIRES PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. THE WIRES WERE BLACK IN COLOR, AND THE POLES WERE HIDDEN BY BUILDINGS AND TREES. ALSO, HIGH INTENSITY LIGHT STANDARDS LINED THE HIGHWAY AT THE LZ.

Probable Cause: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID THE WIRES PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. FACTORS IN THE INCIDENT WERE THE FAILURE OF THE GROUND PERSONNEL TO ADEQUATELY INSPECT THE LANDING ZONE, THE PRESENCE OF HIGH INTENSITY LIGHTS AT THE LZ, AND THE DARK LIGHTING CONDITIONS.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: ATL91IA014
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 2 years 1 month
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB ATL91IA014

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
20-Mar-2024 16:08 ASN Update Bot Added

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