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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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January 29, 2019 · Bell 407 No Series · N191SF

Zaleski, OH

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
January 29, 2019
Injury Outcomes
3 injuries (3 fatalities)
Location
Zaleski, OH
Aircraft
Bell 407 No Series (1996)
Tail Number
N191SF
Operator
Viking Aviation
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
CEN19FA072

NTSB investigators traveled in support of this investigation and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report. The NTSB's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/AccidentReports.aspx. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-20/01. On January 29, 2019, about 0650 eastern standard time, a single-engine, turbine-powered Bell 407 helicopter, N191SF, being operated as a helicopter air ambulance (HAA) flight, collided with forested terrain about 4 miles northeast of Zaleski, Ohio. The certificated commercial pilot, flight nurse, and flight paramedic died, and the helicopter was destroyed. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Viking Aviation, LLC, doing business as Survival Flight Inc., under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. Company flight-following procedures were in effect for the visual flight rules (VFR) flight, which departed Mount Carmel Hospital, Grove City, Ohio, about 0628 and was destined for Holzer Meigs Emergency Department, Pomeroy, Ohio, about 69 nautical miles southeast, to pick up a patient. Night visual meteorological conditions existed at the departure location, but available weather information indicated that snow showers and areas of instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) existed along the route of flight.

NTSB Probable Cause

The NTSB determines that the probable cause of this accident was Survival Flight's inadequate management of safety, which normalized pilots' and operations control specialists' noncompliance with risk analysis procedures and resulted in the initiation of the flight without a comprehensive preflight weather evaluation, leading to the pilot's inadvertent encounter with instrument meteorological conditions, failure to maintain altitude, and subsequent collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the Federal Aviation Administration's inadequate oversight of the operator's risk management program and failure to require Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 operators to establish safety management system programs.

Full Narrative

The NTSB's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/AccidentReports.aspx. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-20/01. On January 29, 2019, about 0650 eastern standard time, a single-engine, turbine-powered Bell 407 helicopter, N191SF, being operated as a helicopter air ambulance (HAA) flight, collided with forested terrain about 4 miles northeast of Zaleski, Ohio. The certificated commercial pilot, flight nurse, and flight paramedic died, and the helicopter was destroyed. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Viking Aviation, LLC, doing business as Survival Flight Inc., under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. Company flight-following procedures were in effect for the visual flight rules (VFR) flight, which departed Mount Carmel Hospital, Grove City, Ohio, about 0628 and was destined for Holzer Meigs Emergency Department, Pomeroy, Ohio, about 69 nautical miles southeast, to pick up a patient. Night visual meteorological conditions existed at the departure location, but available weather information indicated that snow showers and areas of instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) existed along the route of flight.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time06:50 EST
Nearest Airport0nm
Flight Plan FiledCvfr
Flight Plan ActivatedYes
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBell 407 No Series
Tail NumberN191SF
Aircraft CategoryHeli
DamageDestroyed
OperatorViking Aviation
Operating RulePart 135
Engines1
Engine TypeTurboshaft
Engine DetailsRolls-Royc · 250-C47B · Turboshaft
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary3 injuries (3 fatalities)
Fatal3
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total3
Crew 1Age 34 · Second Class · Fatal

Conditions

ConditionsUnknown
LightNight
Wind280° @ 7 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingOvercast 2700 ft
Temperature / Dew Point21 C / 14 C
Altimeter29.92 inHg
Observation Time11:55
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data