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BFO89LA049

1989-07-01 · FRUITLAND, Maryland, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PILOT BY FLYING, WHILE PHYSICALLY IMPAIRED BY ALCOHOL, AND HIS MISJUDGEMENT OF CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE HELICOPTER AND THE STRUCTURE. THE DARK NIGHT AND OBJECT (STRUCTURE) WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

Factual narrative

THE PLT INITIALLY LANDED AT AN ARPT TO OBTAIN FUEL; HOWEVER, THE PUMPS HAD BEEN CLOSED DOWN FOR THE NIGHT & FUEL WAS NOT AVAILABLE. HE DEPARTED THE ARPT & ELECTED TO LAND AT A CONVENIENCE STORE WHICH HAD FUEL PUMPS. DRG A LANDING AT NIGHT, THE HELICOPTER CONTACTED THE WOODEN FRAMED CANOPY STRUCTURE WHICH COVERED THE FUEL PUMPS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLT LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER & IT DESCENDED & IMPACTED THE PAVEMENT. ABOUT 1 HR AFTER THE ACDNT, THE STATE POLICE ADMINISTERED A BREATHALYZER TEST, WHICH SHOWED THE PLT HAD AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF APRX 0.13%. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_BFO89LA049.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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