Continental Copters TOMCAT MK5A accident near Brawley, California, April 22, 1994
On April 22, 1994 at about 3:01 am local time, a Continental Copters TOMCAT MK5A (helicopter), registered N9061T, was destroyed in an accident near Brawley, California. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE, WHILE MANEUVERING TO LAND AFTER COMPLETING AERIAL APPLICATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND THE LACK OF VISUAL CUES FOR THE PILOT TO DETECT THE OBSTRUCTION (POWER LINE).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 1994 · about 3:01 am local time
- Place
- Brawley, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Continental Copters TOMCAT MK5A TOMCAT MK5
- Registration
- N9061T · registry record · serial CCI-75-3
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING USED FOR NIGHT AERIAL APPLICATION. ACCORDING TO 2 COMPANY LOADERS, THE PILOT HAD COMPLETED THE APPLICATION AND WAS MANEUVERING TO MAKE AN APPROACH INTO THE SOUTHWESTERLY WIND FOR A LANDING AT THE TRUCK. WHILE MANEUVERING ABOUT 1/2 MILE FROM THE TRUCK, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE AND CRASHED. THE AVERAGE HEIGHT OF THE POWER LINE WAS ABOUT 25 FEET. NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MECHANICAL DISCREPANCY WAS FOUND DURING AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,700 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,573 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 30, 1994; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-435-23C-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.