MBB BK117A-3 N160BK

Summary

On 8 July 1987 at about 09:20 local time, a MBB BK117A-3 registered N160BK, operated by Rocky Mountain Helicopters, was involved in an incident near Cupertino, California, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

8 July 1987 at 09:20

Classification

Incident

Location

Cupertino, California, United States

Coordinates

37.3002, -122.0892

Aircraft

MBB BK117A-3

Registration

N160BK

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Rocky Mountain Helicopters

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Palo Alto → Cupertino

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX87IA260

Nobody was 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

A MBB BK117A-3 HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH WIRES WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO AN ASPHALT ROAD IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT. NIGHT VMC PREVAILED AT THE TIME. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE WIRES AND WAS UNAWARE OF THE COLLISION UNTIL HE WAS INFORMED BY GROUND PERSONNEL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD MADE 'NUMEROUS ORBITS' PRIOR TO BEGINNING HIS DESCENT FOR THE LANDING. THE PILOT ALSO INDICATED THAT HIS VISION WAS HAMPERED BY BLOWING DUST FROM THE HELICOPTER'S ROTORWASH AND THAT HE WAS BLINDED BY A SPOTLIGHT ON A LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLE. THE FLIGHT NURSE WHO WAS OCCUPYING THE RIGHT SEAT FACING AFT ALSO INDICATED THAT THE CONDITIONS WERE DUSTY AND GROUND PERSONNEL HAD POINTED THE LIGHT IN THE PILOTS FACE. THE PILOT ALSO INDICATED COMMUNICATIONS WITH GROUND PERSONNEL WAS OFTEN GARBLED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.