Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Myrtle Creek, Oregon 97466
Sunday, September 27, 2009 19:00 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The helicopter was equipped with aerial application equipment, however, the chemical tanks were empty at the time of the accident. As the helicopter departed the landing zone, the pilot sensed that more power than usual was being required to clear the 10- to 12-foot trees at the edge of the takeoff zone. He checked the engine instruments, which indicated normal readings, and 100 percent torque. Following his instrument check he heard "popping sounds coming from the engine." The pilot said that once over the trees, between 20 and 30 knots airspeed, the helicopter would not accelerate and settled into the trees despite applying full collective. On scene documentation of the rotor blades indicated leading edge damage and upward bending of the blades, indicative of low rotor energy at the time of rotor blade impact with the trees and terrain. Examination of the engine identified leading edge damage to the compressor blades; however, a functional test cell run of the engine revealed it was capable of producing rated horsepower. No airframe anomalies were identified during the airframe examination that could explain the loss of power.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A partial loss of engine power during takeoff for undetermined reasons.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/27/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1900 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Myrtle Creek |
| Event State | OREGON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 97466 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 430007N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1234644W |
| 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 | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | 1800 Pacific Standard Time |
| 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 | PST |
| 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) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 270 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 2 |
| 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) | 26946 |
| 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 | May 13 2010 2:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N298CP |
| NTSB Number | WPR09LA471 |
| 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 | ARROW FALCON EXPORTERS INC |
| Aircraft Model | OH-58A+ |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 71-20532 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3000 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 |
| 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 | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 16 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 6706 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | REFORESTATION SERVICES INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 5669 COMMERCIAL ST SE |
| Aircraft Owner City | SALEM |
| Aircraft Owner State | OR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 97306-1214 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Reforestation Services Inc |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Salem |
| Operator State | OR |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 97306 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Myrtle Creek |
| Departure State | OR |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1900 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Myrtle Creek |
| Destination State | OR |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 13 2010 2:51PM |
| 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 | -- |