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LAX89FA092

1989-01-22 · SANTA BARBARA, California, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport SBA

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE, PROPER AIRSPEED FOR THE REDUCED VISIBILITY, AND AN ADEQUATE VISUAL OUTLOOK TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH POWER TRANSMISSION CABLE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO FOG.

Factual narrative

THE HELICOPTER DEPARTED THE ARPT WITH VIS OF 4 MILES IN FOG. APPROACH CONTROL RADAR WAS OBSERVING THE HELICOPTER'S PROGRESS AND NOTED A 180 TURN WITH A DESCENT. THE ATCT ASKED THE PLT HIS INTENTIONS. THE PLT STATED HE PLANNED TO FOLLOW A HWY 2/10 OF A MILE NORTH OF THE APRT. WITNESSES IN ACCIDENT AREA DESCRIBED THE WEATHER AS SUNNY WITH COASTAL FOG. THE 1300 LB HELICOPTER STRUCK A 30,000 LB. TENSILE STRENGTH CABLE SEVERING IT. THE CABLE WAS SUSPENDED ACROSS A VALLEY IN MOUNTAINOUS-HILLY TERRAIN. IT WAS 294 FEET ABOVE THE CREEK AT THE HIGHEST POINT. 14 CFR PART 91.105, ALLOWS THE PLT TO OPERATE A HELICOPTER WHEN THE VISIBILITY IS LESS THAN ONE MILE 'IF OPERATED AT A SPEED THAT ALLOWS THE PILOT ADEQUATE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE ANY AIR TRAFFIC OR OBSTRUCTION IN TIME TO AVOID A COLLISION.' Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_LAX89FA092.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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