Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brinnon, Washington 98320
Sunday, July 30, 1989 17:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A PLEASURE FLIGHT, THE PILOT FELT A LOW FREQUENCY VIBRATION AND OPTED TO INITIATE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. DUE TO UNSUITABLE TERRAIN, THE PILOT CONTINUED THE FLIGHT OVER GLASSY WATER TO LAND ON A BEACH AREA. THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE DISTANCE ABOVE THE WATER RESULTING IN THE LEFT SKID CONTACTING THE WATER FIRST. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE STALLED AND STOPPED AND THE HELICOPTER SETTLED SOFTLY IN THE WATER AND SANK. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE HELICOPTER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE IN-FLIGHT PLANNING. THE HELICOPTER SKID CONTACTED THE WATER AS A RESULT OF THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF CLEARANCE ABOVE THE WATER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/30/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City BRINNON
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98320
Event Date Year 1989
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 701
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 31 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40205
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N933CB
NTSB Number SEA89LA144
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R22
Aircraft Series Identifier R22
Aircraft Serial Number 1083
Certified Max Gross Weight 1370
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BROWN, CHARLIE L.H.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5905 BEACH DRIVE S.W.
Aircraft Owner City SEATTLE
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98136
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City FOX ISLAND
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City HAMMA HAMMA
Destination State WA
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 --