Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Near Savoonga, Alaska 99769
Thursday, April 15, 1982 14:15 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT 0746 LCL TIME, THE PLT ACTIVATED HIS VFR FLT PLAN FOR A ROUND ROBIN FLT FROM NOME, AK TO SAVOONGA, NE CAPE, SAVOONGA, SE CAPE, SAVOONGA & BACK TO NOME. AFTER ARRIVING AT SAVOONGA, THE HELICOPTER WAS REFUELED. ACCORDING TO SVRL VILLAGERS, THE WX AT THAT TIME WAS POOR, VIS 1 TO 2 MI WITH BLOWING SNOW, WIND FROM THE NORTH AT 25, GSTG 30 KTS. BFR DEPARTING, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION CONCERNING THE SUITABILITY OF THE WX, BUT THE PLT WAS CONVINCED HE COULD COMPLETE THE MISSION. AFTER DEPARTING, THE PLT WAS FLWG THE SHORELINE WHEN THE VIS BGN DECREASING. THE SURVIVING PAX RPRTD THAT THE PLT REVERSED COURSE, BUT THE VIS CONTD TO DECREASE TIL HE (THE PAX) COULD NOT SEE THE GND. HE RPRTD THAT THE PLT BGN MANIPULATING THE CONTROLS IN AN UNUSUAL MANNER & THE HELICOPTER BGN MVG LEFT & RIGHT, UP & DOWN AND ALL AROUND, THEN CRASHED. THERE WERE INDICATIONS THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED WHILE MVG REARWARD & TO THE RIGHT. ESTIMATE 285 LBS OVR THEMAX GROSS WT LMT. SRCH NOT INITIATED TIL 12 HR FLT PLAN EXPIRED, FOUND NXT MORNING, ELT SIGNAL. HYPOTHERMIA, FROST BITE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/15/1982
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone --
Event City NEAR SAVOONGA
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99769
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 4
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 25
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3373
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9367
NTSB Number ANC82FA035
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SUD AVIATION
Aircraft Model SA 318C
Aircraft Series Identifier SA 318C
Aircraft Serial Number 2168
Certified Max Gross Weight 3650
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EVERGREEN HELICOPTERS OF ALASK
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EVERGREEN HELICOPTERS OF ALASK
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City ANCHORAGE
Operator State AK
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) Public Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City SAVOONGA
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City NOME
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:49PM
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 --