MBB BK-117A-1 N117SR

Summary

On 9 September 1985 at about 16:04 local time, a MBB BK-117A-1 registered N117SR, operated by Wackenhut Services, Inc., was involved in an accident near Aiken, South Carolina, United States. 7 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 6 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

9 September 1985 at 16:04

Classification

Accident

Location

Aiken, South Carolina, United States

Coordinates

33.5400, -81.7196

Aircraft

MBB BK-117A-1

Registration

N117SR

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Wackenhut Services, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Aiken → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL85FA272

1 person was seriously injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

PLT WAS MANEUVERING HELICOPTER AT LOW ALT AND INTO RISING TERRAIN. ON 3RD RIGHT TURN RACETRACK PATTERN, WITNESSES OBSERVED ACFT DESCEND SLIGHTLY, ROLL INTO A 45 DEG OR GREATER BANK AND CONTACT TREES. THE ACFT STARTED A YAWING ROTATION TO THE RIGHT AND CONTACTED THE GROUND AT ABOUT A 35 DEG ANGLE OF DESCENT WHILE TRAVELING BACKWARD. ALL SEVEN OCCUPANTS SUCCESSFULLY EXITED THE ACFT THROUGH THE RIGHT DOORS. THIS WAS A SINGLE PLT OPERATION AND THE TASK LOAD AND MISSION PRESSURES WERE HIGH.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.