Bell UH-1B N15SX

Summary

On 12 January 1990 at about 03:50 local time, a Bell UH-1B registered N15SX, operated by Coastal Corporation, was involved in an accident near San Diego, 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 January 1990 at 03:50

Classification

Accident

Location

San Diego, Texas, United States

Coordinates

27.8504, -98.3909

Aircraft

Bell UH-1B

Registration

N15SX

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Coastal Corporation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

San Diego → Freer

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW90FA051

1 person died.

THE PILOT INTENTIONALLY FLEW INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS DURING NIGHT VFR FLIGHT, AND THE HELICOPTER SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING FLOWN AT NIGHT IN AN AREA WHERE THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE 64 DEGREES F. THE PILOT LANDED SEVERAL MILES WEST OF SAN DIEGO, TEXAS. HE SAID HE HAD LANDED DUE TO FOG AND TO ASK DIRECTIONS TO ANOTHER TOWN, SO HE COULD DELIVER BIRDS FOR A HUNT THE NEXT DAY. HE WAS GIVEN DIRECTIONS TO ANOTHER TOWN, BUT WAS ALSO TOLD HE COULD LEAVE THE HELICOPTER THERE, AND THEY WOULD TAKE THE BIRDS TO TOWN TO WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO DRIVE IN AND PICK UP THE BIRDS. THE PILOT SAID HE THOUGHT HE COULD MAKE IT TO THE NEXT TOWN. THE HELICOPTER DEPARTED, BUT DID NOT ARRIVE IN THE NEXT TOWN. HUNTERS REPORTED HEARING A CRASH SEVEN MILES WEST OF THE DEPARTURE POINT. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED, BUT AFTER 2 1/2 HOURS, THE SEARCH WAS STOPPED DUE TO DENSE FOG. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND THE NEXT DAY, APPROXIMATELY 9 MILES WEST OF SAN DIEGO, TEXAS. NO PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE FOUND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.