Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Volcano, Hawaii 96785
Saturday, September 3, 1994 17:45 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A SIGHTSEEING TOUR HELICOPTER WITH FOUR PASSENGERS ENCOUNTERED INSTRUMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT AND THE PILOT LANDED AT 7,500 FEET MSL TO WAIT FOR THE WEATHER TO CLEAR. DURING THE LANDING, PASSENGERS HEARD AND OBSERVED THE LOW ROTOR RPM ANNUNCIATOR. AFTER THE WEATHER CLEARED, A LOW BATTERY PREVENTED THE ENGINE FROM STARTING. A SECOND HELICOPTER (THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT) WITH THE PILOT AND A MECHANIC WAS DISPATCHED TO RETRIEVE THE PASSENGERS. DURING LIFT-OFF, THE PASSENGERS AGAIN HEARD AND OBSERVED THE LOW ROTOR RPM ANNUNCIATOR. THE HELICOPTER'S NOSE PIVOTED ABOUT 45 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT AS THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED DOWNSLOPE. THE HELICOPTER'S LEFT LANDING GEAR SKID STRUCK A SMALL RIDGE AND THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER. BOTH AIRCRAFT AND ALL OCCUPANTS REMAINED OVERNIGHT UNTIL RESCUE THE FOLLOWING DAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain adequate main rotor rpm and the resultant inadvertent skid contact with the ground.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/3/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1745
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City VOLCANO
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96785
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 9
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1752 Hawaii Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID ITO
Elevation of weather observation facility 38
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation HST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 9000
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 1
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1345
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 4 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1245
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N279F
NTSB Number LAX94LA352
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HUGHES
Aircraft Model 369E
Aircraft Series Identifier 369E
Aircraft Serial Number 0122E
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 27 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 7868
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name I'O AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 24 BRIG ROAD
Aircraft Owner City HILO
Aircraft Owner State HI
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96720
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address COMMUTER AIR TERMINAL
Operator City HILO
Operator State HI
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code 96720
Operator Code FDPA
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ITO
Departure City HILO
Departure State HI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1715
Departure Time Zone HST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code ITO
Destination City
Destination State HI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 25 2004 1:06PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --