Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Copper Harbor, Alaska 99901
Sunday, May 2, 1993 12:50 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AEROLOGGING OPERATION REQUIRED A STEEP DESCENT FLIGHT PATH FROM THE LOG PICKUP SITE AT 1200 FT ELEVATION TO THE LANDING SITE AT 70 FT ELEVATION. DESCENT ESTIMATED TO TAKE 11-12 SECS, AND DESCRIBED AS 'STRAIGHT DOWN IN AUTOROTATION AND DROPPING THE LOGS.' PILOT EXPRESSED RESERVATIONS ABOUT 'BEING ABLE TO DO IT.' FOLLOWING A DESCENT, AND WHILE IN A HOVER, THE TAIL ROTOR & 90 DEG GEAR BOX SEPARATED. METALLURGICAL EXAM REVEALED FATIGUE SIGNATURES ON GEAR BOX CASE STUDS. GEAR BOX OF MILITARY ORIGIN. RECORDED WEIGHTS INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN OPERATING IN EXCESS OF THE GROSS WEIGHT HOOK LIMIT. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF SURVEILLANCE BY THE POI OR PMI FROM THE FAA OFFICE HOLDING THE OPERATOR'S CERTIFICATE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX, AND IMPROPER HELICOPTER OPERATIONS BEING CONDUCTED BY THE OPERATOR RESULTING IN REPETITIVE AT AND OVER MAXIMUM LOADS. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: MATERIAL DEFECT OF THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX (INADEQUATE QUALITY CONTROL) BY THE COMPANY/OPERATOR, AND INADEQUATE SURVEILLANCE OF BOTH THE COMPANY OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FACILITY BY THE FAA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/2/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1250
Event Time Zone --
Event City COPPER HARBOR
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99901
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 5
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 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 1
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1746
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 2 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N204AQ
NTSB Number ANC93FA056
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 204B
Aircraft Series Identifier 204B
Aircraft Serial Number 2198
Certified Max Gross Weight 8500
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 25 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 13
Airframe Hours 19420
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHET RASBERRY INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 19378 CENTRAL ROAD
Aircraft Owner City APPLE VALLEY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92307
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CHESTER C. RASBERRY
Operator Same as Owner? No
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? Yes
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 800
Departure Time Zone ADT
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 --