Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tulalip, Washington 98271
Tuesady, July 22, 2003 11:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot landed his helicopter on a bluff adjacent to a hexagonal wood frame structure, which he had been constructing. Although he had landed at the site on previous occasions, this was the first time he had done so with the structure in place. He subsequently walked down and visited a relative and then walked back to the helicopter after advising the relative he would return later. Shortly thereafter the relative heard a "boom" and then noted a fire on the bluff. There were no eyewitnesses to the accident and it could not be determined whether the accident occurred prior to departure, during departure or during a return to the landing site after departure. A post crash fire destroyed most of the helicopter and the wood frame structure. No ground impact marks were noted and there was no evidence that any part of the helicopter struck any of the several trees/dead snags at the perimeter of the bluff. The pilot had an estimated 5,192 hours of total flight experience of which 772 were in rotorcraft and 374 hours were in the accident helicopter. Winds were light and variable and visual meteorological conditions existed at the time. Post crash examination of the non fire-consumed remains of the flight controls and the helicopter's O-360-J2A engine revealed no evidence of pre-impact mechanical malfunction. All major components with the exception of the anti-torque pedals and instrument console were identified/located at the accident site. One main rotor blade was released when the blade retention bolt separated at both ends in shear overload, and the blade displayed minimal leading edge damage. The opposing blade's outboard 4 foot section separated from the inboard section and the inboard section remained attached to the rotor mast. The inboard blade section displayed upward bending and the separation point displayed abrupt downward bending. Three feet of the outboard 4 foot section was destroyed by fire but the leading edge strip was found. The outboard one foot tip was not recovered. There was a light impact impression at the top of the main rotor shaft (outside diameter) indicating mast bumping and the elastomeric teeter stop was absent. The opposing stop was crushed. An indeterminate quantity of Quinine was detected in the pilot's blood and liver during toxicological evaluation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of control for unknown reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/22/2003
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1115
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Tulalip
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98271
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 480427N
Event Location Longitude 1221807W
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 1053 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 156
Weather Observation Facility ID PAE
Elevation of weather observation facility 606
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.11
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15579
NTSB Notification Source FAA SEA ROC
NTSB Notification Date Jul 22 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1133
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 3 2004 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Renton FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7190K
NTSB Number SEA03FA148
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Robinson
Aircraft Model R22 Beta
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 3115
Certified Max Gross Weight 1370
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 26 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 308.8
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Morgan, Gerald A.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Portland
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97206
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Phoenix
Operator State AZ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 85008
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Tulalip
Departure State WA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1115
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Everett
Destination State WA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Mar 26 2004 11:00AM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --