Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Juneau, Alaska 99801
Thursday, July 15, 1999 13:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The certificated commercial pilot said that he made a northerly approach to a 3,400 feet msl mountain top heliport. He said that as he approached his intended landing site, he increased collective pitch while slowing his approach airspeed, and the rotor rpm began to decay. The pilot stated that he was forced to hover over, and eventually touchdown on, an area of uneven terrain, about thirty feet short and downhill from his intended landing site. He said, in part: 'I was able to keep the toes of the skids on the uphill slope while trying to get my rpm back up. I rolled the throttle on and lowered the collective as much as I dared.' He said that in an attempt to reposition the helicopter, he increased collective pitch and applied left pedal input. The left skid impacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled over. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the rotor system, fuselage, and tail boom. The pilot reported that weather conditions at the time of the accident consisted of clear skies, visibility unlimited, gusty winds from the southeast at 10 to 15 knots, and temperature about 70 degrees F.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain rotor rpm, and an inadequately planned approach. A factor associated with the accident was a tailwind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/15/1999
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone --
Event City JUNEAU
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99801
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 7
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 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) 100
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 695
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 15 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1323
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:43AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8926F
NTSB Number ANC99LA092
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Hughes
Aircraft Model 269A
Aircraft Series Identifier 269A
Aircraft Serial Number 93-0293
Certified Max Gross Weight 1575
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 54
Airframe Hours 4254
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name COLOR-VUE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10010 CRAZY HORSE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City JUNEAU
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99801
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code JNU
Departure City
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
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 Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --