Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Bieber, California 96009
Monday, August 13, 1990 17:58 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
THE PILOT WAS FLYING A FIRE FIGHTING MISSION AND WAS APPROACHING SOUTHERLY ASCENDING TERRAIN FROM THE EAST. THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE TERRAIN AND SLOWED TO MAKE A WATER DROP. AS IT SLOWED THE TAIL TURNED TO THE LEFT AND THE HELICOPTER LOST ALTITUDE AND SETTLED INTO THE TREES. THE PILOT HEARD THE LOW RPM AUDIO AND SAW THE LOW RPM WARNING LIGHT. HE ATTEMPTED TO RELEASE THE WATER LOAD. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND ENGINE COMPONENTS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. THE TEMPERATURE REPORTEDLY WAS BETWEEN 82 TO 86 DEGREES F WITH THE WIND FROM THE NORTH AT 5 TO 8 KNOTS.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL WHEN INTENTIONALLY SLOWING HIS AIRCRAFT TO OFF LOAD WATER ON FIRE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ARM AND RELEASE THE EXTERNAL LOAD.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/13/1990 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1758 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | BIEBER |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 96009 |
| Event Date Year | 1990 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| 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 | 0 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1750 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | RBL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 349 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 92 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| 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) | 6 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 30 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 270 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 4500 |
| 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 | FAA |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1582 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 13 1990 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1930 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | 42853 |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 12 2000 5:16PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N64789 |
| NTSB Number | LAX90DXQ04 |
| 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 | BELL |
| Aircraft Model | UH-1B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | UH-1B |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 62-4598 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 8500 |
| 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 | Dec 15 1989 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 46 |
| Airframe Hours | 5220 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | CARSON LEASING & EQUITY INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1655 CAPITOL ST. NE |
| Aircraft Owner City | SALEM |
| Aircraft Owner State | OR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 97303 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | INTERMOUNTAIN AIR SERVICES |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 2027 FUENE ST. |
| Operator City | ALBANY |
| Operator State | OR |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 97321 |
| Operator Code | IQTL |
| 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) | Public Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 0 |
| Departure Time Zone | |
| 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 10:35AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 0 |
| Runway Length | 0 |
| Runway Width | 0 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |