Helio HST-550A N5779N

Summary

On 29 September 1990 at about 15:17 local time, a Helio HST-550A registered N5779N, operated by Mullins, Howard M., was involved in an accident near Mobile, Alabama, United States. 11 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 September 1990 at 15:17

Classification

Accident

Location

Mobile, Alabama, United States

Coordinates

30.8093, -88.1899

Aircraft

Helio HST-550A

Registration

N5779N

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Mullins, Howard M.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL90LA182

2 people were seriously injured.

THE PILOT'S INTENTIONAL ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF WITH A KNOWN TAILWIND COMPONENT. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE TAILWIND, TREES AND UTILITY LINES ON THE DEPARTURE END OF THE TAKEOFF AREA.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND POWER LINES DURING TAKEOFF FROM A 2000 FOOT LONG OPEN AREA WITH 10 PARACHUTISTS ABOARD. THE PILOT SAID HE EXPERINENCED AN UNSOLICITED ROLLBACK IN ENGINE POWER PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. REPORTEDLY, SOME POWER WAS REGAINED. HOWEVER, NOT IN TIME TO AVOID THE COLLISION. BUT, THE JUMP CLUB CHAIRMAN REPORTED THAT NO CHANGE IN THE ENGINE'S OPERATION WAS OBSERVED THROUGHOUT THE MISHAP. WITNESSES AT THE TAKEOFF AREA REPORTED THAT THE WINDS WERE 12 KNOTS OUT OF THE NORTHEAST, WHICH WOULD HAVE GIVEN THE FLIGHT A QUARTERING TAILWIND COMPONENT FOR THE TAKEOFF. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT MANUAL, THE MAXIMUM DEMONSTRATED CROSSWIND IS 12 KNOTS. THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO INDICATE ANY SYSTEM MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.