Amateur-built II accident near Anchorage, Alaska, July 12, 1989
On July 12, 1989 at about 12:10 pm local time, a amateur-built II (helicopter), registered N5577G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill Field). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
UNQUALIFIED PERSON AT THE FLIGHT CONTROLS, WHO WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER. THE NEARBY BUILDING (AIRPORT FACILITY) WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 1989 · about 12:10 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built II
- Registration
- N5577G · no longer on the register · serial TB-02
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO LOCAL POLICE OFFICIALS, THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING TAKEN ON AN UNAUTHORIZED FLIGHT WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH A NEARBY AIRPORT BUILDING. THE PERSON AT THE FLIGHT CONTROLS WAS NOT DETERMINED, BUT POLICE OFFICIALS IDENTIFIED A PERSON THAT THEY BELIEVED HAD ATTEMPTED TO TAKE THE HELICOPTER. THIS PERSON HAD NO FAA FLIGHT CERTIFICATE & WAS PRESUMED TO HAVE HAD NO PREVIOUS FLIGHT EXPERIENCE AS A PILOT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,480 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Johnson RW-133 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; scat
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 am from MRI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.