Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bonners Ferry, Idaho 83805
Tuesady, March 7, 1995 14:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING A STUDENT SOLO INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, HE PERFORMED AN APPROACH TO A PINNACLE AND HELD A HOVER APPROXIMATELY THREE FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE PILOT THEN TRANSITIONED TO FORWARD FLIGHT AND STATED THAT THE ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO DECREASE. SUITABLE TERRAIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE, THEREFORE THE PILOT INITIATED A RIGHT 180 DEGREE TURN. DURING THE TURN, THE ROTOR RPM CONTINUED TO DECAY UNTIL TAIL ROTOR AUTHORITY WAS LOST. THE PILOT THEN SIDE SLIPPED THE HELICOPTER TO THE RIVER BANK, WHERE THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD AND ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE HELICOPTER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

ROTOR RPM WAS NOT MAINTAINED. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE IN FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION AND SUITABLE TERRAIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/7/1995
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City BONNERS FERRY
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83805
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 3
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 Pilot
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 45
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 417
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 7 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:10PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N222TE
NTSB Number SEA95LA063
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HILLER
Aircraft Model UH-12C
Aircraft Series Identifier UH-12C
Aircraft Serial Number 802
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Feb 20 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILDERNESS HELICOPTER, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 760 COLLISEUM DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City BILLINGS
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59102
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
Owner has at least one certificate None
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 65S
Departure City
Departure State ID
Departure Country
Departure Time 1350
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 --