Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Beckwourth, California 96124
Monday, October 18, 1993 14:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING AN EXTERNAL HELICOPTER EXTERNAL LOAD LOGGING OPERATION. AFTER RAISING TWO LOGS, THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD 'THUNK' NOISE FOLLOWED BY AN UNCONTROLLED TURN TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ROTOR RPM BECAUSE HE COULD NOT LOWER THE COLLECTIVE. EXAMINATION OF THE COLLECTIVE SERVO REVEALED IT TO HAVE INTERNAL LEAKAGE WHICH CAUSED A HYDRAULIC LOCK IN THE SERVO. THE SERVO EXTENSION AND RETRACTION TIME EXCEEDED THE MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

was the worn collective servo causing a hydraulic lock and not allowing the pilot to lower the collective. This condition caused the main rotor blades rpm to decay.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/18/1993
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City BECKWOURTH
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96124
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 10
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 Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1990
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 18 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1640
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N49511
NTSB Number LAX94LA017
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model SA-315
Aircraft Series Identifier SA-315
Aircraft Serial Number 2485
Certified Max Gross Weight 5070
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 8 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 33
Airframe Hours 17081
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES B. BURR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 800 S. 3110 W
Aircraft Owner City PROVO
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84601
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PACIFIC WESTERN HELICOPTERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 144
Operator City BECKWOURTH
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 96124
Operator Code
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code O02
Departure City NERVINO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1345
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 --