Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Clearwater, Oregon 97447
Thursday, January 6, 1994 14:45 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS FLYING THE HELICOPTER IN A SOUTHWESTERLY DIRECTION AT 50 FEET AGL WHILE FOLLOWING A CANAL ON AN AERIAL SURVEY OF WILDLIFE. AS HE ADJUSTED HIS FLIGHTPATH TO A WESTERLY HEADING HIS VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED BY THE AFTERNOON SUN. THE PILOT OBSERVED POWER LINES IN HIS FLIGHT PATH AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN AND DECELERATE TO AVOID CONTACT. THE MANEUVER WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND THE HELICOPTER'S MAIN ROTOR BLADE(S) CONTACTED THE WIRES. THE HELICOPTER THEN DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL INTO A FOREBAY (SMALL POND). THE SUN'S POSITION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS APPROXIMATLEY +16 DEGREES ABOVE THE HORIZON AND 216 DEGREES TRUE AZIMUTH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE WITH THE TRANSMISSION WIRES. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE WIRES AND SUNGLARE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/6/1994
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1445
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City CLEARWATER
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97447
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1451 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID RBG
Elevation of weather observation facility 525
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 45
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 424
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 6 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1532
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 10:26AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N204PC
NTSB Number SEA94LA047
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MBB
Aircraft Model BO-105S
Aircraft Series Identifier BO-105S
Aircraft Serial Number S783
Certified Max Gross Weight 5512
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 7 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 3035
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PACIFICORP TRANS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7909 NE AIRPORT WAY
Aircraft Owner City PORTLAND
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97218
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PACIFICORP TRANS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7909 NE AIRPORT WAY
Operator City PORTLAND
Operator State OR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 97218
Operator Code JSNL
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Observation
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code RBG
Departure City ROSEBURG
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1250
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --