The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
SAN ANTONIO — Traffic at a major intersection on the south side was diverted after a helicopter crashed into the road.
Police blocked off the intersection of East Southcross and South Presa Street after a Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter crash.
A witness told KENS 5 that two people got out of the wreckage and appeared to be in stable condition. Authorities said two people are being treated for minor injuries. Three people - the pilot and two passengers - were on board.
The helicopter hit utility lines on the way down and CPS Energy had a crew checking on the lines, police said.
According to police, the flight was going smoothly until the pilot heard and felt a bang. The helicopter lost power and the pilot brought the aircraft down. While there were cars in the area, it appears that none crashed into the helicopter.
The helicopter belongs to Alamo Helicopter Tours San Antonio, which appears to operate out of Stinson Airport, which is not far from the scene of the crash.
Story and video ➤ https://www.kens5.com
In what police described as a miracle, three people walked away from a helicopter crash with only minor injuries after the craft struck power lines while attempting an emergency landing on the South Side Saturday afternoon.
The pilot reported he and his two passengers heard a large boom while mid-flight and then the helicopter lost power, San Antonio police said.
Officers say they received calls about a downed helicopter in the 4600 block of South Presa Street around 4:58 p.m.
Officer Brendan Pratt said the destination of the helicopter, who owns it, or where it originated remains under investigation. He also said CPS Energy crews were at the scene checking on the condition of the power lines. The pilot and two passengers were treated at the scene.
Bob Peterson, a resident who lives along South Presa Street, said he heard an explosion and then his cable went out. "It was a sound like I had never heard before,” he said.
Mary Grace Garcia, who was with her husband at a nearby gas station, said she could hear puttering as if something had run out of gas. When she looked up she said she saw the helicopter only about 50 feet in the air.
“I thought it was going to crash here,” she said outside of a Stop-N-Shop convenience store. “But it kept going down the road and then I heard a boom.”
As of 6 p.m., traffic along South Presa Street remained blocked off and the mangled white helicopter was still lying on its side in the street.
Pratt said Federal Aviation Administration investigators will determine the official cause of the crash.
Local media report the Robinson R44 Raven II belonged to a helicopter tour company.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.mysanantonio.com
SAN ANTONIO – A helicopter had to make an emergency landing after it hit a power line on the South Side.
The helicopter landed near the intersection of South Presa and East Southcross streets Saturday evening, according to the San Antonio police officer Brandon Pratt.
Three people were on board the helicopter when the pilot “felt and heard a bang," Pratt said.
The helicopter lost power, hit power lines above the cabin and made the emergency landing in the middle of the street.
No cars were in the street at the time of the landing, Pratt said.
None of the helicopters’ occupants were seriously injured. They did not have to be extracted from the rotorcraft.
“This is going to be the best outcome that we could have,” Pratt said.
Officials suspect the cause of the crash was due to a mechanical error.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash.
Story and video ➤ https://www.ksat.com
Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; San Antonio, Texas
Federal Aviation Administration / Rotorcraft Standards Branch AIR-680; Fort Worth, Texas
Robinson Helicopter Company; Torrance, California
Alamo Helicopter Tours San Antonio LLC
Location: San Antonio, TX
Accident Number: ERA20LA054
Date & Time: December 14, 2019, 16:56 Local
Registration: N440AH
Aircraft: Robinson R44 Injuries: 3 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Other work use
On December 14, 2019, about 1656 central standard time, a Robinson R44 Raven II, N440AH, experienced a loss of engine power during cruise flight and was substantially damaged during a subsequent autorotation in San Antonio, Texas. The commercial pilot and two passengers sustained minor injuries. The helicopter was operated by Alamo Helicopter Tours San Antonio, LLC. The flight was operating under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a revenue sightseeing flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the intended 30-minute local flight, which departed from Stinson Municipal Airport (SSF), San Antonio, Texas, about 1650.
According to the pilot, he traveled about 2 miles from SSF when he heard a "pop" sound. The helicopter experienced a loss of engine power and yawed to the left. The pilot performed an autorotation; however, the helicopter struck power lines during the descent and impacted a road about 3 miles north of SSF.
Initial examination of the engine revealed no mechanical issues that would have precluded normal operation. The wreckage was retained for further examination to include examination of the actuator lower bearing brackets and sprag clutch assembly.
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness records, the helicopter was manufactured in 2010. It was equipped with a Lycoming, 245-horsepower IO-540-AE1A5 engine. The most recent 100-hour inspection was completed on September 21, 2019.
According to FAA airmen records, the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for rotorcraft-helicopter and instrument helicopter. In addition, he held a flight instructor certificate with a rating for rotorcraft-helicopter. At the time of the accident, the pilot held an FAA second-class medical certificate issued on June 18, 2019. A review of the pilot's logbook revealed a total of 1,377 hours of flight experience, all of which were in helicopters.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Robinson
Registration: N440AH
Model/Series: R44 II
Aircraft Category: Helicopter
Amateur Built: No
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held: Commercial air tour (136)
Operator Designator Code:
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: VMC
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: SAT
Observation Time: 16:51 Local
Distance from Accident Site:
Temperature/Dew Point: 19°C /6°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear / 25000 ft AGL
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 5 knots / , 100°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.87 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: San Antonio, TX (SSF)
Destination: San Antonio, TX (SSF)
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 2 Minor
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 3 Minor
Latitude, Longitude: 29.377777,-98.476387 (est)
SAN ANTONIO — Traffic at a major intersection on the south side was diverted after a helicopter crashed into the road.
Police blocked off the intersection of East Southcross and South Presa Street after a Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter crash.
A witness told KENS 5 that two people got out of the wreckage and appeared to be in stable condition. Authorities said two people are being treated for minor injuries. Three people - the pilot and two passengers - were on board.
The helicopter hit utility lines on the way down and CPS Energy had a crew checking on the lines, police said.
According to police, the flight was going smoothly until the pilot heard and felt a bang. The helicopter lost power and the pilot brought the aircraft down. While there were cars in the area, it appears that none crashed into the helicopter.
The helicopter belongs to Alamo Helicopter Tours San Antonio, which appears to operate out of Stinson Airport, which is not far from the scene of the crash.
Story and video ➤ https://www.kens5.com
In what police described as a miracle, three people walked away from a helicopter crash with only minor injuries after the craft struck power lines while attempting an emergency landing on the South Side Saturday afternoon.
The pilot reported he and his two passengers heard a large boom while mid-flight and then the helicopter lost power, San Antonio police said.
Officers say they received calls about a downed helicopter in the 4600 block of South Presa Street around 4:58 p.m.
Officer Brendan Pratt said the destination of the helicopter, who owns it, or where it originated remains under investigation. He also said CPS Energy crews were at the scene checking on the condition of the power lines. The pilot and two passengers were treated at the scene.
Bob Peterson, a resident who lives along South Presa Street, said he heard an explosion and then his cable went out. "It was a sound like I had never heard before,” he said.
Mary Grace Garcia, who was with her husband at a nearby gas station, said she could hear puttering as if something had run out of gas. When she looked up she said she saw the helicopter only about 50 feet in the air.
“I thought it was going to crash here,” she said outside of a Stop-N-Shop convenience store. “But it kept going down the road and then I heard a boom.”
As of 6 p.m., traffic along South Presa Street remained blocked off and the mangled white helicopter was still lying on its side in the street.
Pratt said Federal Aviation Administration investigators will determine the official cause of the crash.
Local media report the Robinson R44 Raven II belonged to a helicopter tour company.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.mysanantonio.com
SAN ANTONIO – A helicopter had to make an emergency landing after it hit a power line on the South Side.
The helicopter landed near the intersection of South Presa and East Southcross streets Saturday evening, according to the San Antonio police officer Brandon Pratt.
Three people were on board the helicopter when the pilot “felt and heard a bang," Pratt said.
The helicopter lost power, hit power lines above the cabin and made the emergency landing in the middle of the street.
No cars were in the street at the time of the landing, Pratt said.
None of the helicopters’ occupants were seriously injured. They did not have to be extracted from the rotorcraft.
“This is going to be the best outcome that we could have,” Pratt said.
Officials suspect the cause of the crash was due to a mechanical error.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash.
Story and video ➤ https://www.ksat.com
From a separate news article I read the pilot did an excellent job getting her down.
ReplyDeleteThank you, it was a difficult landing area with numerous power lines. I did my best to avoid as many as I could but in order to land in the safest area between the traffic driving on the street, I had to go through two small utility lines shortly before we were to set down without engine power. My passengers were uninjured, I broke two ribs. The crash was caused by a manufacturers defect.
ReplyDelete