Amateur-built 209AH-1FT accident near Palmdale, California, August 20, 1996
On August 20, 1996 at about 11:24 pm local time, a amateur-built 209AH-1FT (helicopter), registered N777TZ, was destroyed in an accident near Palmdale, California. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the first pilot misjudged the distance from the rock outcropping. The pilot's ostentatious display was a factor in this accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 1996 · about 11:24 pm local time
- Place
- Palmdale, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 209AH-1FT
- Registration
- N777TZ · registry record · serial 777
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The civilian restored U.S. Army Cobra attack helicopter was filming a commercial. Production personnel reported the helicopter made three flights over the area; a nonfilmed overview flight and two filmed flights. The filming director said that the helicopter was to fly between and over two rock outcroppings and chase a ground vehicle. On the first flight the helicopter hovered south of the western rock outcropping and then flew over it in a northerly direction descending toward the ground vehicle. On this initial flight, the timing between the helicopter and the ground vehicle was inadequate due to blowing sand. The director then instructed the helicopter pilot to hover further south of the rock outcroppings and for the ground vehicle driver to begin his sequence earlier. On the second flight, the helicopter flew in a northeasterly direction at a lower altitude when the pilot made a slight left turn. During the turn, the helicopter's main rotor blades struck the rock outcropping located to the left side and immediately began to separate. The rotor blades decelerated and the helicopter struck the ground in a nose-up level attitude.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,000 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 10,700 as pilot in command; 1,400 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 98 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 18, 1996; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T53-L-703 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.
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 LAX96FA310.