ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 42570
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| Date: | Tuesday 20 August 1996 |
| Time: | 16:24 LT |
| Type: | Bell/Tsirah 209 AH-1FT |
| Owner/operator: | West Coast Helicopters |
| Registration: | N777TZ |
| MSN: | 777 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1978 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 98 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming T53-L-703 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Palmdale, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The civilian restored U.S. Army Cobra attack helicopter was filming a commercial. Production personnel reported the helicopter made three flights over the area; a nonfilmed overview flight and two filmed flights. The filming director said that the helicopter was to fly between and over two rock outcroppings and chase a ground vehicle. On the first flight the helicopter hovered south of the western rock outcropping and then flew over it in a northerly direction descending toward the ground vehicle. On this initial flight, the timing between the helicopter and the ground vehicle was inadequate due to blowing sand. The director then instructed the helicopter pilot to hover further south of the rock outcroppings and for the ground vehicle driver to begin his sequence earlier. On the second flight, the helicopter flew in a northeasterly direction at a lower altitude when the pilot made a slight left turn. During the turn, the helicopter's main rotor blades struck the rock outcropping located to the left side and immediately began to separate. The rotor blades decelerated and the helicopter struck the ground in a nose-up level attitude.
Probable Cause: the first pilot misjudged the distance from the rock outcropping. The pilot's ostentatious display was a factor in this accident.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX96FA310
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 12-Sep-2015 12:12 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 08-Apr-2024 19:26 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Nature, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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