Hiller FH-1100 N5046F

Summary

On 12 December 1992 at about 03:29 local time, a Hiller FH-1100 registered N5046F, operated by Ledbetter, Lonnie K., was involved in an accident near Forney, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 December 1992 at 03:29

Classification

Accident

Location

Forney, Texas, United States

Coordinates

32.7498, -96.4602

Aircraft

Hiller FH-1100

Registration

N5046F

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Ledbetter, Lonnie K.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Edom → Dallas

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW93FA051

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AS A RESULT OF HIS PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT DUE TO ALCOHOL. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE DARK NIGHT AND THE PILOT'S LIKELY DIVERSION OF HIS ATTENTION FROM OPERATING THE HELICOPTER.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT WAS RETURNING FROM HIS RANCH NEAR EDOM EN ROUTE TO THE REDBIRD AIRPORT IN DALLAS WHERE THE HELICOPTER WAS NORMALLY HANGARED. THE PILOT HAD BEEN WORKING AT HIS RANCH WITH THE FOREMAN, AND THEY HAD CONSUMED ALCOHOL DURING THE DAY WHILE THEY WERE WORKING. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER FLYING AT LOW ALTITUDE NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE HELICOPTER WAS ALSO SEEN DESCENDING INTO OPEN FIELDS AND BEHIND TREE LINES, AND WAS SEEN SECONDS LATER CLIMBING TO ALTITUDE. THE HELICOPTER SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED THE GROUND IN AN APRX 60 DEG LEFT BANK. THE PILOT AND HIS DOG WERE JETTISONED FROM THE HELICOPTER DURING IMPACT. THE PILOT WAS FOUND CLUTCHING A CELLULAR PHONE IN HIS RIGHT HAND. THE PILOT'S BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS 248 MG/DL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.