Sikorsky UH-60A accident near Hortense, Georgia, July 14, 1993
On July 14, 1993 at about 2:33 pm local time, a Sikorsky UH-60A (helicopter), registered USA, was destroyed in an accident near Hortense, Georgia. It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT, THE CO-PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE, AND THE FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO SEE AND AVOID THE WIRES. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION AND PLANNING OF THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 14, 1993 · about 2:33 pm local time
- Place
- Hortense, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky UH-60A · all UH-60As on the register
- Registration
- USA · no longer on the register · serial 81-23577
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS REGISTERED TO THE U.S. ARMY AND BEING OPERATED BY THE U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE. A WITNESS LOCATED ABOUT 5 MI SOUTH OF THE ACCIDENT SITE STATED HE HEARD A HELICOPTER FLY OVERHEAD TOWARDS THE NORTHEAST, UP THE ALTAMAHA RIVER, AT ABOUT 1030. THE HELICOPTER WAS TRAVELING FASTER THAN MOST HELICOPTERS, AND WAS FLYING VERY LOW AT TREETOP LEVEL. A POWER OUTAGE OCCURRED AT 1033. THE HELICOPTER HAD COLLIDED WITH UNMARKED WIRES 82 FT ABOVE THE RIVER. THE PIC DID NOT COMPLETE A RISK ASSESSMENT WORKSHEET FOR THE ASSIGNED MISSION NOR WAS IT APPROVED BY THE APPROVING AUTHORITY. THE COPILOT'S INJURIES WERE CONSISTENT WITH BEING ON THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AT THE TIME OF IMPACT.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: gyroplane; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,751 hours in all; 1,395 in this make and model; 89 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,853 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 8, 1993; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 20,250 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ge T-700 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BQK Brunswick GA at 4:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from NIP, 75 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under USA 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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 MIA93GA154.