Mbb BK-117A-4 accident near Houston, Texas, April 9, 1989
On April 9, 1989 at about 11:49 am local time, a Mbb BK-117A-4 (helicopter), registered N120HH, was destroyed in an accident near Houston, Texas (Hermann Hospital airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE OBSTRUCTION (GARAGE). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, PERSONNEL IN THE AREA OF THE TEMPORARY HELIPORT, LACK OF SECURITY PROVIDED BY HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT, WHICH RESULTED IN A NECESSITY FOR THE PLT TO DIVERT HIS ATTENTION, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF VISUAL QUES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 1989 · about 11:49 am local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Hermann Hospital · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Mbb BK-117A-4
- Registration
- N120HH · registry record · serial 7132
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERD FM A TEMPORARY LNDG ZONE (LZ) IN A PARKING LOT, WHILE THE HOSPITAL HELIPORT WAS BEING RESURFACED. AS THE PLT WAS PREPARING TO TAKEOFF AT NGT TO GET A PATIENT AT ANOTHER LCTN, HE NOTED PSNL IN THE AREA OF THE LZ & ADZD THE DISPATCHER OF THE LACK OF SECURITY. AT THAT TIME, THE WX (10 MI EAST AT HOUSTON HOBBY ARPT) WAS IN PART: 900' OVC, VIS 8 MI WITH LIGHT DRIZZLE, WIND FM 040 DEG AT 14 KTS. THE PLT BGN A VERTICAL TAKEOFF TO CLR OBSTACLES.HE RPRTD THAT AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE HELICOPTER ENCTRD TURBC & A VENTURI EFFECT FM WIND BLOWING AROUND THE BUILDINGS. ALSO,HE INDCD THAT HIS VISUAL QUES WERE REDUCED AS HE WAS WAS WATCHING FOR PEOPLE IN THE AREA OF THE LZ. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER DRIFT BACKWARD. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TAIL ROTOR CONTACTED THE TOP OF A GARAGE, THEN THE HELICOPTER BGN AN UNCTLD SPIN & CRASHED. THE PLT & BOTH MEDICAL CREW MEMBERS WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED.
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
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,700 hours in all; 1,590 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 8,380 as pilot in command; 1,800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 529 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 29, 1989; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,055 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming LTS 101-650B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hermann Trust
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 11:49 am
- Destination: NONE Channelview TX
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 040° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 am from HOU, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N120HH the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW89FA078.