Hughes OH-6A N4191A

Summary

On 22 January 2009 at about 15:30 local time, a Hughes OH-6A registered N4191A, operated by Charlotte Helicopters Flight Academy, Inc, was involved in an accident near Monroe, North Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 January 2009 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Monroe, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

34.9775, -80.5647

Aircraft

Hughes OH-6A

Registration

N4191A

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Charlotte Helicopters Flight Academy, Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Monroe → Monroe

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA09LA139

1 person died.

The pilot-rated-passenger’s failure to maintain clearance from a known wire hazard during low-level maneuvering. Contributing to the accident was the pilot-in-command’s inadequate monitoring of the flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a flight to "simulate a mission" to examine power lines, the helicopter had been paralleling the west side of transmission lines. While resetting the global position system (GPS), the pilot-in-command (PIC) transferred controls to the pilot-rated-passenger. While the PIC was trying to reduce the sensitivity of the GPS warning system, the helicopter made a right turn of almost 260 degrees of heading change, allowing the helicopter to be on a perpendicular ground track and traveling directly toward the power lines. The helicopter collided with the topmost lines in the set, which were the grounding wires for the transmission line. The helicopter was observed by an eyewitness impacting the power line and descending to the ground. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any mechanical deficiencies. Several witnesses heard the helicopter and reported that it sounded normal prior to impacting the power lines. The main rotor blade was separated from the main wreckage. The pilot-rated-passenger had a history that he had not revealed to the Federal Aviation Administration of kidney stones, severe knee pain, and regular use of prescription pain medication. This pilot had seen an orthopedic surgeon the day before the accident for continuing knee pain, for which he had requested and received additional pain medication "to help him sleep." Toxicological testing was consistent with the recent use of the potentially impairing narcotic medication that had been prescribed the day before the accident. It is possible that the pilot-rated-passenger was impaired or distracted by knee pain, by the use of narcotic medication for that pain, or by fatigue due to insomnia from the knee pain; however, the investigation could not conclusively determine if impairment or distractions contributed to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.