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).
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 14, 1993 · about 2:33 pm local time · cases in 1993
- 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 · registered outside the United States · 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 |
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 USA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- Sikorsky UH-60 384 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Sikorsky 825 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Ge T-700 25 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Brunswick Golden Isles Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Georgia 2,138 since 1982 · 361 in the last ten years
- Georgia 8,806 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under USA 2 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/MIA93GA154.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.