Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Willow Creek, California 96573
Friday, July 17, 2009 15:10 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot-in-command (PIC) of the firefighting helicopter air tanker reported that he approached the heliwell (a portable tank) by entering a final approach from the south as he had on four previous trips that day. As he lowered the snorkel into the heliwell to get water, he simultaneously made a right pedal turn to position the helicopter for a normal egress departure path. He indicated that all engine parameters were in the normal operating range, that he did not feel any unusual movements in the flight controls, and that the wind seemed to be light and variable. As the helicopter was taking on water, the second-in-command (SIC) called out the number of gallons in the tank, and the PIC released the fill switch at the planned amount. The PIC applied power and initiated a climb just as the snorkel was clearing the water. At this time, the SIC informed the PIC of a “droop” in the rotor rpm. Subsequently, the PIC stopped applying power and started to move the helicopter forward. The SIC then called out that the rotor rpm was at 98 percent. The PIC reduced the power slightly to gain rpm, but the rpm continued to drop. The PIC leveled the helicopter as it continued to descend. The left main landing gear subsequently contacted the heliwell then the uneven ground. The helicopter rolled after ground contact and came to rest on its left side. The PIC did not activate the emergency dump button, which was located on the top left side of the collective, and the SIC did not pull the emergency “T” handle to jettison the load during the accident sequence. Postaccident examinations of the engines and fuel controls found no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate power during egress from a heliwell, which resulted in collision with the heliwell and a dynamic rollover.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/17/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1510 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Willow Creek |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 96573 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 405309N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1233826W |
| Event Location Airport | N/A |
| 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 | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1525 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ACV |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 300 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 9 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 13 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 310 |
| 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) | 30.11 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32619 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA AWP 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 | Feb 25 2014 11:35AM |
| User who most recently changed record | plah |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N613CK |
| NTSB Number | WPR09TA353 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Public Use |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CROMAN |
| Aircraft Model | SH-3H |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 152109 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 21000 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 17 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 14354 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Croman Corporation |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 801 Ave C |
| Aircraft Owner City | White City |
| Aircraft Owner State | OR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 97503 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | United States Forest Service |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Washington |
| Operator State | DC |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| 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) | Fire Fighting |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Willow Creek |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1416 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Willow Creek |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 25 2014 11:35AM |
| User who most recently changed record | plah |
| 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 | -- |