Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cody, Wyoming 82414
Thursday, May 13, 1993 14:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT USED MAXIMUM POWER TO FLY OVER A MOUNTAIN PASS AND DECIDED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AFTER CROSSING THE SUMMIT WHEN THE OIL TEMP REACHED THE MAXIMUM FOR NORMAL OPERATION. HE MADE AN APPROACH TO AN OGE HOVER, THEN FLEW A TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR LANDING. HE MADE AN APPROACH TO A HOVER, ELECTED TO HOVER TAXI TO A SUITABLE LANDING SITE, ENCOUNTERED A GUST OF WIND, AND LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE ACFT LOST ROTOR RPM, DESCENDED UNCONTROLLED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE SITE WAS ABOUT 9380 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHILE HOVERING. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE IMPROPER DECISION BY THE PILOT, IMPROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT SELECTION, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, AND WIND GUSTS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/13/1993
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City CODY
Event State WYOMING
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 82414
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1355 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 72
Weather Observation Facility ID COD
Elevation of weather observation facility 5100
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 43
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 11000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 9380
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 428
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 13 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50384
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:20PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N14NH
NTSB Number SEA93LA107
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 ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R-22B
Aircraft Series Identifier R-22B
Aircraft Serial Number 1488
Certified Max Gross Weight 1370
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 11 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 1717
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIR PHOTO, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5720 220TH SW
Aircraft Owner City MONTLAKE TERRAC
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98043
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AIR PHOTO, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 22002 64TH AVE WEST
Operator City MOUNTLAKE TERR
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98043
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BZN
Departure City BOZEMAN
Departure State MT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --