Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carrabasset, Maine 04225
Wednesday, August 31, 1994 14:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS ENGAGED IN AN EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATION POURING CONCRETE FROM BUCKETS FOR A NEW SKI LIFT WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD 'BANG' NOISE FOLLOWED BY A GROWLING NOISE AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSE ATTEMPTING TO TURN RIGHT. HE STATED THAT HE ENTERED AUTOROTATION AND LANDED HARD ON UPSLOPING TERRAIN, COLLAPSING THE LANDING SKID. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED FRACTURE FAILURE OF THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SYSTEM INTERMEDIDATE GEAR BOX (42 DEGS).

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Fracture failure of the tail rotor drive intermediate gearbox.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/31/1994
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CARRABASSET
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 04225
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 8
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID AUG
Elevation of weather observation facility 4260
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 48
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1694
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 31 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:58AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N204JB
NTSB Number BFO94LA159
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model UH-1B
Aircraft Series Identifier UH-1B
Aircraft Serial Number 63-13088
Certified Max Gross Weight 8500
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 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 26 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 8502
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOSEPH BRIGHAM
Aircraft Owner Street Address 23 POOR RICHARDS DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City BOW
Aircraft Owner State NH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 03304
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOSEPH BRIGHAM
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 23 POOR RICHARDS DRIVE
Operator City BOW
Operator State NH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 03304
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation External Load
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State ME
Departure Country
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone EST
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 Hover
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 --