Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Haines, Alaska 99827
Friday, May 5, 2000 14:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The certificated commercial helicopter pilot was landing on an elevated landing platform. After landing, as the throttle was retarded to the flight idle position, the helicopter began to shake violently, and tip backwards. The pilot opened the throttle in an attempt to restore rotor rpm, but the helicopter continued to tip backwards, and the tail rotor blades struck the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial to the tail rotor gearbox assembly, and vertical fin. According to a FAA operations inspector, the pilot stated to him that after she had an opportunity to think about the events surrounding the accident, she felt that she had landed the helicopter with the rear skid cross-tube over the aft edge of the elevated platform.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to attain a proper touchdown point.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/5/2000
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone --
Event City HAINES
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99827
Event Date Year 2000
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 Not pertinent
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 7500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4700
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1026
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 5 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1810
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jun 18 2001 12:33PM
User who most recently changed record JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N49686
NTSB Number ANC00LA055
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
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 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B
Aircraft Serial Number 1905
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 21 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 8246
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name COASTAL HELICOPTERS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8995 YANDUKIN 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 XCHA
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code JNU
Departure City JUNEAU
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1325
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 Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 2 2001 4:08AM
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 --