Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Estacada, Oregon 97023
Monday, May 23, 2005 10:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The helicopter was parked on a trailer heading into the wind about half an hour prior to its repositioning to a mixing truck. As the pilot lifted the helicopter off the trailer he noticed the wind had switched about 40 to 50 degrees to the left, gusting from 10 to 20 knots. The helicopter subsequently weathervaned to the left, but before the pilot could correct for the left yaw its forward skid became caught under the trailer's left lip, resulting in a dynamic rollover of the helicopter onto its left side. The pilot did not report any anomalies with the helicopter that would have contributed to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the pilot to maintain landing skid clearance during hover taxi, which resulted in a dynamic rollover. A factor was the gusty wind condition.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/23/2005
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Estacada
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97023
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 451722N
Event Location Longitude 1222523W
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 --
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 --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18354
NTSB Notification Source Portland Flight Standards Dist
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 13 2005 12:54PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3030H
NTSB Number SEA05CA104
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Hiller
Aircraft Model UH-12E
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 970
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Matthew L. White
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name WHITES FLYING SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Colton
Operator State OR
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code W3FA
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) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Estacada
Departure State OR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Estacada
Destination State OR
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 22 2014 3:40PM
User who most recently changed record seak
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --