Prineville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Prineville, Oregon 97754
Sunday, December 10, 2000 14:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that while maneuvering for departure, the helicopter began to drift to the left. While attempting to correct the situation, the helicopter's left main landing gear hit the ground and the strut collapsed. The helicopter subsequently rolled over. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom and rotor blades. The 1356 METAR observation at Redmond, Oregon, (11 miles southwest of the accident location) reported winds from 310 degrees at 17 knots gusting to 21 knots. The pilot reported that the winds, at the time of the accident, were from the southwest at 15 knots, gusting to 29 knots. He also reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures that contributed to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to adequately compensate for wind conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/10/2000
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City PRINEVILLE
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97754
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport PRINEVILLE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID S39
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 3250
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1356 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID RDM
Elevation of weather observation facility 3077
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 17
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 21
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 921
NTSB Notification Source FAA REGIONAL OPERATIONS CTR
NTSB Notification Date Dec 10 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Nov 6 2001 10:11AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N317KA
NTSB Number SEA01LA029
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Kaman
Aircraft Model K-1200
Aircraft Series Identifier K-1200
Aircraft Serial Number 0025
Certified Max Gross Weight 12000
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Dec 8 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 4060
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name U.S. BANK
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City PRINEVILLE
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97754
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GRIZZLY MOUNTAIN AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 12550 GRIZZLY MOUNTAIN ROAD
Operator City PRINEVILLE
Operator State OR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 97754
Operator Code GZ9L
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code S39
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ONP
Destination City NEWPORT
Destination State OR
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 9 2001 4:07AM
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 --