Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oakridge, Oregon 97463
Wednesday, July 13, 1988 12:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE SLINGING A LOG THE PILOT ALLOWED THE LOG/SLING LINE TO CONTACT A TREE. THE MOMENTUM OF THE LOG AND HELICOPTER BOWED THE TREE OVER WHEN THE LINE CONTACTED IT. THE PILOT CHOSE TO RELEASE THE LOG FROM THE SLING LINE RATHER THAN DISENGAGE THE ENTIRE LINE AND LOG FROM THE HELICOPTER. ONCE THE LOG SEPARATED, THE LINE CAUGHT IN THE TREE WHICH RETURNED TO AN UPRIGHT ATTITUDE AND PULLED THE LINE TIGHT. THE FORCE APPLIED TO THE HELICOPTER AS THE LINE TIGHTENED, IN TURN ROTATED THE HELICOPTER ABOUT ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS TO A POINT WHEREBY THE PILOT LOST CONTROL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED INTO THE TREES AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/13/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City OAKRIDGE
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97463
Event Date Year 1988
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 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 3500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 5000
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) 429
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 13 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1444
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36307
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:57AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3128G
NTSB Number SEA88LA129
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 2488
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 12 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 46
Airframe Hours 3184
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ELLING HALVORSON, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2703 152ND NE BLDG. 6
Aircraft Owner City REDMOND
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98052
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GRADNEY HELICOPTERS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3417 OLYMPIC BLVD. WEST
Operator City TACOMA
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98466
Operator Code YELA
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 No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City LOWELL
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 800
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 Descent
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 --