Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tahoe Valley, California 95731
Monday, March 17, 1986 13:45 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH TREES AND CRASHED IN ROUGH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN DURING TAKEOFF. THE ACFT WAS SHUTTLING SKIERS FROM A LANDING AREA LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 8,300 FT MLS TO A RIDGELINE AT 11,000 FT MSL. THE PLT REPORTED THE EGT (T-4) WAS AT 790 DEG (C), OVER THE TAKEOFF 5 MIN LIMITATION. THE PLT ATTEMPTED A NORMAL TAKEOFF. AS THE ACFT REACHED AN ALT ABOVE THE 80 FT TALL TREES BELOW TRANSLATIONAL LIFT, IT SHUDDERED THEN SPUN COUNTERCLOCKWISE. THE OGE MAXIMUM RECOMMENDED WEIGHT WAS COMPUTER AT 1,812 KILOGRAMS OR 3,995.5 LBS. THE WEIGHT CALCULATED BY THE PLT AFTER THE ACCIDENT WAS 3,995 LBS. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT WEIGHT AND BALANCE RECORDS REVEALED THAT COMPONENTS WERE INSTALLED ON THE ACFT AFTER IT HAD BEEN WEIGHED. THE PLT DID NOT INCLUDE ALL THE ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS IN HIS CALCULATIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/17/1986
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City TAHOE VALLEY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95731
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 3
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 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 15000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 8300
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 5
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 5
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1471
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 17 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31882
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N88GT
NTSB Number LAX86LA143
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
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 AS-350D
Aircraft Series Identifier AS-350D
Aircraft Serial Number 1071
Certified Max Gross Weight 4100
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Feb 15 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 12522
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CRI HELICOPTERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 20881 CERRITOS
Aircraft Owner City APPLE VALLEY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92307
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 Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
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
Departure City FREE PEAK
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone PST
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 10:36AM
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 --