Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Toutle, Washington 98649
Saturday, August 13, 1983 10:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER TOOK OFF ON A SIGHT-SEEING, PASSENGER FLT IN THE MOUNT ST HELENS AREA. WHEN THE FLT BECAME OVERDUE, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. LATER, THE HELICOPTER WAS FOUND WHERE IT CRASHED & BURNED IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA ON RELATIVELY LEVEL TERRAIN, NEAR THE NORTH FORK OF THE TOUTLE RIVER, AT AN ELEVATION OF APRX 800 FT. THERE WERE NO KNOWN WITNESSES. AN EXAM OF THE CRASH SITE REVEALED THAT ONLY THE TREES WITHIN 34 FT OF THE WRECKAGE WERE DAMAGED. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE FIRE DAMAGE TO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, BUT THE N1 RPM GAGE WAS FOUND AT 72%, THE N2 RPM GAGE WAS AT 43% & THE ROTOR RPM GAGE WAS AT 35%. A LACK OF ROTATIONAL DAMAGE WAS NOTED ON THE MAIN & TAIL ROTOR BLADES. THE FUEL CONTROL, FUEL GOVERNOR & FUEL PUMP WERE DESTROYED BY FIRE. SOME ROTATIONAL DAMAGE WAS NOTED IN THE ENG. HOWEVER, NO PREIMPACT, MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS VERIFIED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/13/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1045
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City TOUTLE
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98649
Event Date Year 1983
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1051 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 285
Weather Observation Facility ID TDO
Elevation of weather observation facility 371
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 35
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 5
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 5
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1497
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21791
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N29917
NTSB Number SEA83AA176
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Fairchild Hiller
Aircraft Model FH-1100
Aircraft Series Identifier FH-1100
Aircraft Serial Number 57
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
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 Aug 8 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TERRY A. WITHAM
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O.BOX 11
Aircraft Owner City TOUTLE
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98649
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 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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City KID VALLEY
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
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 Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 22 2001 3:51PM
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 Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --