Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Swisshome, Oregon 97480
Tuesady, October 14, 2003 10:45 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During a low level reconnaissance flight for the Department of Forestry to locate water holes/dip sites for future fire suppression actions, the helicopter collided with an unmarked neutral power line that was strung across the river. The helicopter subsequently collided in the river about 300 feet west of the remaining power lines. The surrounding terrain was mountainous and covered with dense trees and underbrush. The vegetation was in close proximity to the power line towers. Patchy fog and clouds were in the area at the time. The pilot of the helicopter that recovered the wreckage from the river stated that the remaining lines were hard to see and blended in with the vegetation and terrain. Existing maps did not indicate the presence of these lines and the Department of Forestry did not maintain a "hazard map" for the area as indicated in their Aviation Procedures Manual.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines while maneuvering. The power line, mountainous terrain with high obstructions (thick trees and underbrush) and the operators failure to maintain a "hazard map" as indicated in their procedures manual were factors.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/14/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1045 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Swisshome |
| Event State | OREGON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 97480 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | -- |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | -- |
| Event Location Latitude | 440345N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1234800W |
| 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 | 1054 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 67 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | EUG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 365 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 25 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 13 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.22 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15404 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Regional Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 14 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1153 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 28 2004 3:34PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Portland, Oregon |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N86W |
| NTSB Number | SEA04LA005 |
| 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 | 4142 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 25 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 82 |
| Airframe Hours | 5282 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Weyerhaeuser Company |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1500 S 184th St. |
| Aircraft Owner City | Seatac |
| Aircraft Owner State | WA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 98158 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Oregon Department of Forestry |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 2600 State Street |
| Operator City | Salem |
| Operator State | OR |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 97310 |
| 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) | Other Work Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | EUG |
| Departure City | Eugene |
| Departure State | OR |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1000 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 23 2004 2:36PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| 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 | -- |