Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary NYC92LA095

DELAWARE, OH, USA

Aircraft #1

N1252Z

BEECH N35

Analysis

THE BONANZA WAS FOLLOWING AN ARMY AH-1S ON LANDING APPROACH. THE HELICOPTER CROSSED THE THRESHOLD AT APPROX 200 FT AGL AND PLANNED A TOUCHDOWN APPROX 1500 FT FROM THE APPROACH END. WHILE THE HELICOPTER WAS STILL ABOUT 250 FT FROM TOUCHDOWN, THE BONANZA CROSSED THE THRESHOLD AND WAS OBSERVED TO ROLL LEFT AND STRIKE THE GROUND WITH ITS LEFT WING. THE BONANZA CONTINUED ACROSS A TAXIWAY AND CAME REST IN AN AIRCRAFT PARKING AREA. THE HELICOPTER WEIGHED APPROXIMATELY 8400 POUNDS. WHEN INTERVIEWED AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE BONANZA PILOT SAID HE WAS AWARE OF HELICOPTER WAKE TURBULENCE AND SAID HE THOUGHT THERE WAS SUFFICIENT SEPARATION BETWEEN HIS AIRPLANE AND THE PRECEDING HELICOPTER.

Probable Cause and Findings

A LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT DUE TO WAKE TUBULENCE FROM A PRECEDING HELICOPTER. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO RECOGINIZE THE HAZARDS OF HIS CLOSE PROXIMITY BEHIND THE LANDING HELICOPTER.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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