Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cougar, Washington 98616
Tuesady, August 7, 1990 11:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS HOVERING OVER TREES AT APPROX 200 FT. AGL, PICKING UP A LOAD OF LOGS DURING A LONG LINE HELI-LOGGING OPERATION, WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE ACFT DESECENDED VERTICALLY AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN. DISASSEMBLY AND EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE SPEED GOVERNOR REVEALED PARTICLES OF SEALANT MATERIAL INSIDE THE GOVERNOR ASSY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF POWER DUE TO CONTAMINATION IN THE ENGINE SPEED GOVERNOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/7/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City COUGAR
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98616
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 1050 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 205
Weather Observation Facility ID PDX
Elevation of weather observation facility 26
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 3640
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) 2053
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 7 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1321
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45462
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:17PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N351RM
NTSB Number SEA90FA158
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model SA315B
Aircraft Series Identifier SA315B
Aircraft Serial Number 2505
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 AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Jul 27 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 9
Airframe Hours 11959
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROCKY MOUNTAIN HELICOPTERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 800 SOUTH, 3110 WEST
Operator City PROVO
Operator State UT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 84604
Operator Code DYRA
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1015
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 Hover
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 --