Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Cantwell, Alaska 99729
Thursday, May 16, 2002 12:30 AKD
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The commercial certificated helicopter pilot was conducting a VFR public use government flight to track caribou. The pilot was maneuvering a helicopter in an attempt to move radio-collared caribou out of an area of trees. Prior to beginning the maneuvering, the pilot said he conducted an out-of-ground-effect hover power check, and was satisfied with the helicopter's available power. He then began an out-of-ground-effect hover near several caribou. The pilot said that when he raised the collective control to move from his hover position, the low rotor annunciator sounded. He said he did not have sufficient power available to climb away from his position, and the helicopter began to settle toward the ground. One of the helicopter landing gear skids settled into low bushes, and the pilot was able to regain sufficient rotor RPM to move to a nearby landing area. After landing, the pilot found that one of the main rotor blades had a tear in the bottom surface of the blade surface. The other main rotor blade had several dents. The pilot determined the helicopter was not flyable. He said he did not feel any rotor contact with the trees.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain adequate main rotor rpm during an out-of-ground-effect hover.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/16/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1230 |
| Event Time Zone | -- |
| Event City | CANTWELL |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99729 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 631612N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1494556W |
| 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 | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 30 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 135 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 10 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 12485 |
| NTSB Notification Source | U.S. DEPT OF INTERIOR |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 16 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1927 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 6 2002 3:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N344AK |
| NTSB Number | ANC02TA035 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Public Use |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Robinson |
| Aircraft Model | R-44 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1004 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2400 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 2 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 10 |
| Airframe Hours | 567 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | QUICKSILVER AIR INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2721 CORMORANT ST. |
| Aircraft Owner City | FAIRBANKS |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99729 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 1011 TUDOR RD. |
| Operator City | ANCHORAGE |
| Operator State | AK |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 99503 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | Public Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PAIN |
| Departure City | McKINLEY PARK |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1130 |
| Departure Time Zone | ADT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | AK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Hover |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 25 2002 1:33PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PETL |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |