Bell 412/SP N70AM

Summary

On 22 April 1994 at about 18:45 local time, a Bell 412/SP registered N70AM was involved in an accident near Bluefield, Virginia, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 April 1994 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Bluefield, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Mercer County (BLF)

Coordinates

37.2294, -81.2602

Aircraft

Bell 412/SP

Registration

N70AM

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Winston Salem → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO94FA071

4 people died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO INTERCEPT THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE, AND HIS IMPROPER EXECUTION OF THE INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURE. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE FAILURE OF THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER TO ADEQUATELY VECTOR THE FLIGHTCREW TO INTERCEPT THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE AT THE APPROACH GATE, AS SPECIFIED IN THE ATC HANDBOOK.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE FLT HAD DEPARTED THE NORTH CAROLINA BAPTIST HOSPITAL IN WINSTON SALEM. IT ARRIVED FROM THE NE AND WAS VECTORED FOR THE ILS RWY 23 APCH. THE LAST VECTOR WAS 240 DEG, WHICH WAS INADEQUATE TO INTERCEPT THE LCLZ. THE PLT WAS CLEARED FOR AND INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN 7000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON THE APCH. RECORDED RADAR DATA SHOWS THE FLIGHT DID NOT INTERCEPT THE LCLZ BUT PARALLELED ON A SW COURSE, A MILE LEFT OF THE LCLZ, WHILE MAINTAINING 7000 FT. THE FLT CONTINUED THIS COURSE UNTIL ABEAM OF THE RWY DEPARTURE END, BEGAN TO DESCEND, TURNED NW, CROSSED THE EXTENDED RWY CENTLERLINE, AND THEN PROCEEDED OUTBOUND FROM THE RWY ON APRX 230 DEG COURSE UNTIL THE LAST RECORDED POSITION ABOUT 5 MI SW OF THE ARPT AT 4100 FT ALTITUDE. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS ON A MOUNTAIN ABOUT 7.5 MI SW OF THE ARPT AT 3400 FT MSL. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT BEFORE HE HEARD THE CRASH HE COULD NOT SEE THE ACFT BECAUSE THE MOUNTAIN WAS OBSCURED BY FOG. BOTH NAV RADIOS WERE SET TO THE LCLZ FREQ. THE PUBLISHED IAP SHOWS A GLIDESLOPE INTERCEPT ALT OF 5000 FT, AND THE DH WAS 3157 FT. ACFT WAS OPERATED BY AIR METHODS CORPORATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.