Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ketchikan, Alaska 99901
Friday, February 19, 1993 13:40 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER WAS HOVERING 200 FT AGL, WITH LOGS ATTACHED TO A 150-FT LONGLINE, WHEN IT WAS OBSERVED TO HAVE A LOSS OF CONTROL. THE LOGS WERE DRAGGED ALONG THE GROUND UNTIL CAUGHT IN STUMPS, PITCHING THE HELICOPTER INTO THE GROUND. THE LOWER PISTON ROD OF THE RIGHT DUAL HYDRAULIC SERVO ACTUATOR HAD FAILED IN FATIGUE; ALSO BEARING WEAR WAS INCONSISTENT WITH COMPONENTS OF COMPARABLE TIME. OPERATOR RECORDS SHOWED REGULAR OVERLOADING OF AEROLOGGING HELICOPTERS; ACFT OVERLOADED BY 2000 LBS PRIOR TO ACCIDENT. OPERATOR MAINTENANCE & FACILITY RECORDS INCOMPLETE. MAINTENANCE PERFORMED IN ALASKA WITHOUT FAA AUTHORIZATION. NO RECORDS OF OF FAA SURVEILLANCE OF OPERATOR EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATIONS IN ALASKA SINCE START OF OPERATIONS 4/91. THE EXTERNAL HOOK ELECTRICAL RELEASE MECHANISM WAS TESTED & FUNCTIONED NORMALLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE OF THE HYDRAULIC SERVO ACTUATOR WHICH LED TO THE FATIGUE FAILURE AND LOSS OF FLIGHT CONTROL. IN ADDITION, THE FLIGHTCREW DID NOT, OR WAS UNABLE TO, JETTISON THE EXTERNAL LOAD. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT OPERATING THE HELICOPTER OVER MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT, THE OPERATOR'S CONTINUED AEROLOGGING OPERATIONS WITH AIRCRAFT EXCEEDING MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT, AND INADEQUATE SURVEILLANCE OF THE OPERATOR'S MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS ACTIVITY BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/19/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1340
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City KETCHIKAN
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99901
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 2
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
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 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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 725
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 19 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 51872
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N114CR
NTSB Number ANC93FA033
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 214B1
Aircraft Series Identifier 214B1
Aircraft Serial Number 28034
Certified Max Gross Weight 16000
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Dec 6 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 6772
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHESTER RASBERRY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1600 AIRPORT TERMINAL
Aircraft Owner City KETCHIKAN
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99901
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CHESTER RASBERRY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 19378 CENTRAL ROAD
Operator City APPLE VALLEY
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92307
Operator Code EEYA
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 705
Departure Time Zone AST
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 Dec 11 2000 1:08PM
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 --