Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Laupahoehoe, Hawaii 96764
Wednesday, April 15, 1987 13:12 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF THE BELL 206B AND HIS THREE PASSENGERS ARRIVED OVER A BEACHED BARGE THAT THEY WERE TO LAND ON. THE PILOT HOVERED OVER THE BARGE IN A LEFT QUARTERING TAILWIND OF ABOUT 10 KNOTS AND OVER A MODERATE SEA WITH WAVES BREAKING AGAINST THE BARGE. THE TWO REAR SEAT PASSENGERS WERE DEPLANED WITHOUT INCIDENT THROUGH THE RIGHT REAR DOOR AS THE HELICOPTER HOVERED WITH THE RIGHT SKID RESTING ON A STRUCTURE ON THE BARGE. AFTERWARD, ONE OF THE DEPLANED PASSENGERS OBSERVED A WAVE BREAK AGAINST THE BARGE AND WATER SPRAYING UPWARD ONTO THE HELICOPTER. BOTH DEPLANED PASSENGERS OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER ROLL LEFT AND IMPACT THE WATER. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT FLOTATION GEAR WAS AVAILABLE TO THE CREW OR PASSENGERS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/15/1987
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1312
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City LAUPAHOEHOE
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96764
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 4
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1310 Hawaii Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 148
Weather Observation Facility ID ITO
Elevation of weather observation facility 38
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation HST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1000
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2375
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 15 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1615
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36258
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N370AH
NTSB Number LAX87LA178
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B
Aircraft Serial Number 1314
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 7 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 88
Airframe Hours 7241
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALASKA HELICOPTERS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 6283 AIRPORT ANNEX
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99502
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HILO BAY AIR, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address GATE 22 BRIGGS RD, LYMAN FIELD
Operator City HILO
Operator State HI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 96721
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ITO
Departure City HILO
Departure State HI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1240
Departure Time Zone HST
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 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 --