Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yamhill, Oregon 97148
Saturday, November 19, 1994 13:25 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING MANEUVERED TO PICK UP A LOAD OF CHRISTMAS TREES, THE EXTERNAL LOAD HOOK BECAME ENTANGLED IN A BUNDLE OF TREES THAT WAS LAYING ON THE GROUND. WHEN THE HOOK PULLED LOOSE FROM THIS BUNDLE, IT REBOUNDED UP INTO THE PATH OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE TO THE BLADES RESULTED IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT INTO THE TERRAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE, WHILE MANEUVERING TO A HOVER, WHICH ALLOWED THE EXTERNAL LOAD CABLE/HOOK TO BECOME SNAGGED AND TO REBOUND INTO THE PATH OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/19/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1325
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City YAMHILL
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97148
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 11
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 Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 900
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1751
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 19 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Mar 17 2006 2:52PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4258V
NTSB Number SEA95LA023
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Fairchild Hiller
Aircraft Model FH-1100
Aircraft Series Identifier FH-1100
Aircraft Serial Number 60
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 19 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 96
Airframe Hours 3277
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CONQUEST HELICOPTERS INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1123 NORTH GRAHAM #300
Aircraft Owner City TROUTDALE
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97060
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code FELL
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 --