Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Applegate, Oregon 97530
Tuesady, March 16, 1993 15:10 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER LANDED ON A MOUNTAINSIDE HELIPAD WHERE TWO PASSENGERS WERE WAITING. THE PILOT OF A SIKORSKY S 61 HELICOPTER FLYING NEARBY CAUTIONED HIM ABOUT CLOUDS MOVING UP THE VALLEY. HE ALSO NOTED IT WAS QUITE WINDY AND TURBULENT. THE PILOT REPLIED HE WAS AWARE OF THE APPROACHING CLOUDS AND THAT IT WAS BAD. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE SIKORSKY PILOT HEARD THE HILLER PILOT SAY, I LOST IT. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND ONE PADDLE WERE FOUND IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE HELICOPTER; THE OTHER PADDLE WAS LOCATED 300 FEET AWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE MAIN ROTOR HEAD DISCLOSED DAMAGE BETWEEN THE HUB STATIC STOPS AND THE MAIN ROTOR MAST. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE FRACTURED SURFACES INDICATED ALL THE BREAKS WERE THE RESULT OF OVERLOAD FORCES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT INITIATING FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER. FACTORS WERE: LOW CEILING, FOG, AND TURBULENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/16/1993
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1510
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City APPLEGATE
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97530
Event Date Year 1993
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 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 Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
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 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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 652
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 16 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 51298
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5344V
NTSB Number DEN93FA033
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HILLER
Aircraft Model UH-12E
Aircraft Series Identifier UH-12E
Aircraft Serial Number 2018
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 8 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 10750
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CROMAN CORPORATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 801 AVENUE C
Aircraft Owner City WHITE CITY
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97503
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CROMAN CORPORATION
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 801 AVENUE C
Operator City WHITE CITY
Operator State OR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 97503
Operator Code JYEL
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1510
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 --