Mbb BK117A-3 incident near Cupertino, California, July 8, 1987
On July 8, 1987 at about 9:20 am local time, a Mbb BK117A-3 (helicopter), registered N160BK, suffered minor damage in an incident near Cupertino, California. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 1987 · about 9:20 am local time
- Place
- Cupertino, California · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mbb BK117A-3
- Registration
- N160BK · registry record · serial 7060
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A MBB BK117A-3 HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH WIRES WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO AN ASPHALT ROAD IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT. NIGHT VMC PREVAILED AT THE TIME. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE WIRES AND WAS UNAWARE OF THE COLLISION UNTIL HE WAS INFORMED BY GROUND PERSONNEL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD MADE 'NUMEROUS ORBITS' PRIOR TO BEGINNING HIS DESCENT FOR THE LANDING. THE PILOT ALSO INDICATED THAT HIS VISION WAS HAMPERED BY BLOWING DUST FROM THE HELICOPTER'S ROTORWASH AND THAT HE WAS BLINDED BY A SPOTLIGHT ON A LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLE. THE FLIGHT NURSE WHO WAS OCCUPYING THE RIGHT SEAT FACING AFT ALSO INDICATED THAT THE CONDITIONS WERE DUSTY AND GROUND PERSONNEL HAD POINTED THE LIGHT IN THE PILOTS FACE. THE PILOT ALSO INDICATED COMMUNICATIONS WITH GROUND PERSONNEL WAS OFTEN GARBLED.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,940 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 9,730 as pilot in command; 1,020 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 836 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 21, 1987; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,055 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming LTS-101-650B1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Palo Alto CA at 8:38 am
- Destination: Cupertino CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 270° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
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.
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.