N105HH

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On April 3, 1999, about 2350 hours Pacific standard time, a Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm (Mbb) BO-105CBS-4, N105HH, with the call sign Lifeguard 2, was en route to Pahrump, Nevada, when it collided with terrain and burned while maneuvering near Indian Springs, Nevada. The aircraft was destroyed and the certificated airline transport pilot and his two medical crewmembers received fatal injuries. The aircraft was operated as a positioning flight under 14 CFR Part 91 by Metro Aviation, Inc., when the accident occurred. The flight originated from Las Vegas, Nevada, about 2315 on April 3, 1999. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site and a company flight plan had been filed.

The aircraft departed Valley Hospital Medical Center in Las Vegas after delivering a patient. The purpose of the flight was to reposition the aircraft at its home base at Hidden Hills Airport, Pahrump, Nevada.

A motorist, who was westbound on U.S. highway 95 near the overpass at state highway 156, reported seeing a helicopter with a flashing strobe light flying over the highway in the same direction on the night of the accident. He estimated the aircraft's altitude at that time to be about 1,000 feet agl.

He stated that the sky was overcast with freezing rain that turned into wet snow and then finally freezing sleet. Within a few minutes, the freezing precipitation had obscured the forward vision through his windshield. His windshield wipers were unable to remove the frozen accumulation and he was forced to roll down his driver's side window in order to obtain any forward visibility. As the intensity of the snow increased, he slowed his speed from 70 mph to about 35 mph. During this time he passed another vehicle, with its emergency flashers on, that had stopped along the highway.

A second motorist was traveling southeast bound toward Las Vegas but had not reached Indian Springs when he saw a helicopter flying about 150 to 200 feet overhead in the opposite direction on the night of the accident. The helicopter was using its searchlight as it followed the highway but would then suddenly fly away from the highway only to return a short time later. At one point, the pilot illuminated another car with his searchlight and seemed to be following it for a time.

By the time the first motorist reached Indian Springs, he estimated that visibility was about 50 feet with winds from the south about 10 mph. He went inside his motor home and a few minutes later heard a "thump."

A second resident of Indian Springs reported that he heard the sounds of an aircraft flying back and forth in what he thought was a north-south direction for about 10 minutes. Finally, the engine noise became so faint that he was unable to hear it; however, a few minutes later the engine noise returned. He heard the engine sounds for a few more minutes and then heard a "big thump." Thinking that the aircraft had crashed, he drove toward the origin of the sound and found the crash site in flames. He estimated that snow had reduced visibility to less than 50 yards at the time.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot was a former military pilot and had served in the Soviet Air Force. He had logged a total of 10,920 hours, 6,580 of which were in helicopters, with about 3,592 hours of instrument time. He had accumulated about 187 hours in this make and model helicopter and had flown about 3 hours during the preceding 24 hours. He had worked for the operator as an emergency medical services (EMS) pilot for about 1 year.

The operator reported that he had satisfactorily completed an inadvertent meteorological condition (IMC) evaluation within the last 90 days. The operator provided copies of his training records showing that he had satisfactorily completed an unusual attitude recovery evaluation on April 30, 1998. A further review of the training records showed that the training form content had been revised. The last record that specifically documents inadvertent IMC training in combination with unusual attitude recovery was dated October 22, 1997; however, on that date inadvertent IMC procedures for the pilot were not evaluated. The operator did not provide any additional records.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The aircraft was not certified for instrument flight; however, it was equipped with flight instruments to include an attitude indicator, a horizon situation indicator (HSI), a radar altimeter, a global positioning system (GPS), and very high frequency (VHF) navigational radios. The radar altimeter provides an aural warning as the aircraft descends through a predesignated altitude; however, continued operation below this altitude will not result in subsequent warnings regardless of terrain proximity.

The forward windscreen was equipped with external windshield wipers and an internal defroster utilizing engine bleed air.

The aircraft was approved for flight in wet snow, in accordance with airworthiness directive (AD) No. 90-23-08-RO, and Mbb service bulletin (SB)-BO 105-80-108.

A review of the aircraft maintenance forms and records by Safety Board investigators did not reveal any discrepancies.

The operator estimated that the aircraft had about 120 gallons of Jet A onboard at the time of the last departure.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records disclosed that the pilot had accessed the Data Transformation Corporation (DTC) commercial weather service at 1900 on the evening of the accident. The service allows pilots to obtain weather information on-line through a Direct User Access Terminal (DUAT) via the Internet, including color radar graphics. There were no records of subsequent weather updates.

The destination, Hidden Hills Airport, Pahrump, does not have weather reports or forecasts issued for that location. The closest reporting station is Desert Rock Airport, Mercury, Nevada, 43 miles to the north; however, terminal forecasts, as such, are valid only within a 5-mile radius of the airport. The 2356 weather observation for Desert Rock Airport reported winds from 110 degrees at 3 knots; 9 miles visibility; an overcast ceiling of 1,900 feet agl; temperature of 36 degrees; and dew point of 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Unknown precipitation began at 2312. (Unknown precipitation is reported by automated systems when the system can not determine the type of precipitation that is falling, i.e., ice pellets, snow pellets, snow grain, graupel, ice needles, drizzle, freezing drizzle, or a combination of those listed.)

The closest upper air data observation was also located at Desert Rock Airport. At 2100, the sounding indicated that the air was saturated from the surface up to 16,000 feet msl. The freezing level was at the surface (3,310 feet msl), with winds from 210 degrees at 5 knots.

The current area forecast for southern Nevada had been issued at 1945, and was valid until 0800. It forecast broken clouds at 7,000 feet msl, scattered light rain showers, and light snow over the mountains.

AIRMET Sierra issued at 1845 forecast mountain obscuration in clouds and precipitation. AIRMET Sierra update No. 1 that was issued at 2335 forecast IFR conditions and mountain obscuration until 0600.

AIRMET Tango issued at 1845 forecast occasional moderate turbulence below 16,000 feet msl. AIRMET Tango update No. 1 that was issued at 2345 forecast moderate turbulence below 16,000 feet msl, as well as strong northerly winds over rough terrain.

AIRMET Zulu, issued at 1845, forecast light to occasional moderate rime icing in precipitation below 18,000 feet msl. AIRMET Zulu update No. 1 that was issued at 2345 forecast the freezing level to be between 7,000 and 9,000 feet msl.

At 2309, the National Weather Service (NWS) Las Vegas Regional Office issued a winter advisory for snow and blowing snow. With 4 inches of snow already reported to have fallen, an additional 2 to 3 inches was expected, with winds from the southeast at 13 to 22 knots.

AIDS TO NAVIGATION

A nondirectional radio beacon (NDB), Mercury, is located at Desert Rock Airport. There is no voice capability on the station frequency.

COMMUNICATIONS

After departure from Valley Hospital Medical Center, the pilot was scheduled to make position reports every 15 minutes while flight following on his company FM frequency. The first scheduled position report was due about 2330; however, there was no radio contact at anytime from the pilot.

At 2315, the pilot called the Las Vegas air traffic control tower (ATCT). He requested clearance through Class B airspace to the northwest. He was cleared through the airspace and given the current altimeter setting. The controller then asked if he desired flight following. The pilot replied that he did not and that he would be "staying low." Radar services were terminated at 2321.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

Safety Board investigators arrived at the accident site, east of Old Ben Road, approximately 0.6 miles north of the intersection between Old Ben and Wilson Roads, on the morning of April 4, 1999.

The initial ground scar was found located at 36 degrees 33.656 minutes north latitude and 115 degrees 39.363 minutes west longitude. The site elevation was estimated to be about 3,200 feet msl. The site was located on gently rolling open desert terrain and sloped upward toward the south at about 10 to 15 degrees.

The wreckage distribution covered an area 466 feet in length. From the initial scars, the wreckage was fanned out about 30 degrees along either side of the long axis of the debris path on a 188-degree bearing. A secondary ground scar was found beyond the fire area.

Both skid tubes and cross tubes were fractured and had separated from the aircraft. The fuselage floor had also separated from the aircraft.

The main rotor head, transmission, and the tail rotor had separated from the airframe and were found in the forward portion of the debris field. All four...