Sikorsky UH-60A accident near Hortense, GA
On July 14, 1993, a Sikorsky UH-60A (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Hortense, GA. 4 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 14, 1993
- Place
- Hortense, GA
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky UH-60A · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 4 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 31.329°N, 81.951°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X12978
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 14, 1993, at about 1033 eastern daylight time, a Sikorsky UH-60A, serial No. 81-23577, call sign Omaha 77 (OM77), registered to the U.S. Army, operated by the U.S. Customs Service, on a public-use flight, searching for clandestine airstrips and suspected drug drop sites in the south Georgia area, collided with power transmission lines and crashed. The helicopter was destroyed. The airline transport pilot-in-command, copilot, air officer, and one passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Brunswick Glynco Jetport at an undetermined time. The UH-60A helicopter was last observed on the ground at the Brunswick Glynco Jetport at about 0915 by a member of the Georgia National Guard. The owner of the Altamaha Park Fish Camp, located about 5 miles south of the crash site, stated he heard a helicopter fly overhead towards the northeast, up the Altamaha River at about 1030. The helicopter was traveling faster than most helicopters, and was flying very low at treetop level. An employee of the Georgia Power Company, from the Brunswick District, stated to the NTSB investigator-in-charge at the crash site, that Macon Control Center records indicate that a power outage occurred at the West Brunswick Ludowici 115KV at about 1033. An airplane was sent from the Brunswick Glynco Airport to search for the source of the power outage, and located the downed wires at about 1135. Ground personnel arrived at the power outage at about 1245 and walked down to the river to investigate
Probable cause
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT, THE CO-PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE, AND THE FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO SEE AND AVOID THE WIRES. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION AND PLANNING OF THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT.
More accidents in GA
- Embraer EMB-120RT, Apr 5, 1991
- Cessna 208, Sep 29, 1985
- Beech 400, Dec 11, 1991
- Embraer EMB-120RT, Aug 21, 1995
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-30, Apr 20, 1982
Browse: Georgia · Sikorsky aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
