Event ATL86FA156

Factual narrative

THE EMS HELICOPTER WAS HEARD AND OBSERVED AS IT FLEW AT LOW ALTITUDE DOWN THE RIVER. A WITNESS SAW IT DIP DOWN THEN ATTEMPT TO CLIMB JUST PRIOR TO THE COLLISION WITH POWER LINES ACROSS THE RIVER. THE HELICOPTER BROKE THE WIRES BUT WAS STOPPED AND CAME APART AS IT FELL INTO THE RIVER. THE SUN WAS LOW ON THE HORIZON AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING GENERALLY SOUTHWEST. THE COLLISION OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 2500 FEET BELOW THE MAXIMUM ELEVATION FIGURES FOR TERRAIN AND OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE QUADRANGLE THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING THROUGH. REPORTEDLY LOW LEVEL FLIGHTS HAD BEEN PERFORMED ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS AND HAD BEEN DESCRIBED AS FUN BY ONE OF THE PASSENGERS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12