Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Elsie, Oregon 97138
Wednesday, July 24, 2002 12:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot of the Bell 206B rotorcraft was en route at 110-115 miles per hour in level cruise flight approximately 1,500 feet above ground level (agl) when the right front windscreen shattered and separated from the windscreen frame. The rotorcraft yawed to the right and entered into a descending right turn which the pilot recovered from approximately 500 feet agl. An FAA inspector who examined the helicopter after the accident reported that the center portion of the windscreen had broken inward, with the windscreen edges remaining attached to the airframe. The FAA inspector reported that his examination did not reveal any evidence of a bird strike. The windscreen had been replaced in 1992 and a warp was noted on the far right side of the pilot's windscreen when the rotorcraft was acquired by the operator. The pilot reported that a mechanic associated with the previous owner said that the warp was from an unknown heat source in the past, although this could not be positively related to the accident separation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The shattering and separation of the forward right (pilot's) windscreen for undetermined reason(s).

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/24/2002
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1245
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Elsie
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97138
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 455306N
Event Location Longitude 1233612W
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 1255 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 305
Weather Observation Facility ID AST
Elevation of weather observation facility 15
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 21
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.13
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 12902
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date Jul 24 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1426
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 15 2003 4:03PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Portland (Hillsboro), OR

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N60PH
NTSB Number SEA02LA137
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bell
Aircraft Model 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 304
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 29 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 88
Airframe Hours 4291
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Seaside Helicopters, LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Beaverton
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97007
Operator is an individual? No
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 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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 17S
Departure City Newberg
Departure State OR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1215
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 56S
Destination City Seaside
Destination State OR
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Oct 24 2002 12:53PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --