Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Ocean Shores Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ocean Shores, Washington 98569
Tuesady, July 7, 2009 5:30 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While maneuvering low over the harbor for an aerial application flight the pilot directed his attention inside of the helicopter to program the global positioning system (GPS). Subsequently, the helicopter impacted the water in a level upright position. Despite the pilot's control inputs the engine lost power and the helicopter slowly started to settle and roll onto its left side. The helicopter's main rotor blades, tail rotor blades, and the main rotor head assembly were damaged. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter's flight control system or engine prior to the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the water while maneuvering due to the pilot's diverted attention.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/7/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 530 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Ocean Shores |
| Event State | WASHINGTON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 98569 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 470008N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1240822W |
| Event Location Airport | Ocean Shores Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KW04 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 2 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 13 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 548 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 287 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HQM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 18 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 7 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Dawn |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 2700 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1300 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 12 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 200 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| 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 |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25894 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 19 2009 3:01PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8169J |
| NTSB Number | WPR09CA331 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 137: Agricultural |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BELL |
| Aircraft Model | 47G-3B-2 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 6775 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 8 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 14 |
| Airframe Hours | 10307 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | FARM & FOREST HELICOPTER SERVICE INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO BOX 404 |
| Aircraft Owner City | NAPAVINE |
| Aircraft Owner State | WA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 98565-0404 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | FARM & FOREST HELICOPTER SERVICE INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | PO BOX 404 |
| Operator City | NAPAVINE |
| Operator State | WA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 98565-0404 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Agriculture |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | KW04 |
| Departure City | Ocean Shores |
| Departure State | WA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 522 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | KW04 |
| Destination City | Ocean Shores |
| Destination State | WA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 19 2009 3:02PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |