Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hobart Bay, Alaska 99850
Friday, March 6, 1992 11:30 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER WAS HOVERING APPROX 200 FT ABOVE THE LOG WHICH WAS BEING ATTACHED TO THE CARGO HOOK. THE PILOTS HEARD A LOUD BANG FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE HELICOPTER AUTOROTATED INTO STEEP UNEVEN TERRAIN, THE ONLY AREA AVAILABLE. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE CENTRIFUGAL IMPELLER ENCOMPASSING A 60 DEG ARC. THIS SECTION SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE AND HELICOPTER. ANALYSIS OF THE IMPELLER SHOWED THAT THE COOLING HOLES, ASSOCIATED ONLY WITH THE T5508D ENGINE, DID NOT HAVE THE PRESCRIBED RADIUS, AND CRACKS WERE FOUND EMANATING FROM THE OTHER COOLING HOLES. THE ENGINE RECORDS SHOW THAT THE IMPELLER HAD 5592.0 CYCLES WHEN INSTALLED IN THIS ENGINE IN APRIL 1991. THE COMPONENT SERVICE LIFE LIMIT OF THE IMPELLER IS 16,600 CYCLES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE COMPRESSOR ASSEMBLY IMPELLER, AND INADEQUATE QUALITY CONTROL BY THE MANUFACTURER. A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/6/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City HOBART BAY
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99850
Event Date Year 1992
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 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 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) 99
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 937
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 51122
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:47PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N314RM
NTSB Number ANC92FA044
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 Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bell
Aircraft Model 214B-1
Aircraft Series Identifier 214B-1
Aircraft Serial Number 28041
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 11
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Mar 4 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 8116
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROCKY MOUNTAIN HELICOPTERS INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1337
Aircraft Owner City PROVO
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84603
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROCKY MOUNTAIN AEROLOGGING INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 1337
Operator City PROVO
Operator State UT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 84603
Operator Code ZRHL
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1130
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 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 --