Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Beluga, Alaska 99682
Saturday, January 21, 2012 13:30 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot landed the helicopter at an off-airport site in windy conditions. While he was performing the engine cool-down portion of the checklist, a worker at the site picked up a storage container that was weighing down an empty cargo sack. When the weight was removed, the sack was picked up by the wind, and it contacted the helicopter's main rotor system, resulting in substantial damage to the main rotor blades.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Ground personnel's movement of cargo in windy conditions, which allowed a previously secured cargo sack to blow into the main rotor blades.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/21/2012
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City Beluga
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99682
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 613841N
Event Location Longitude 1500607W
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
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 Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 30
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 40
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29768
NTSB Notification Source Operator
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 9 2012 2:52PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4510T
NTSB Number ANC12CA018
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY
Aircraft Model R44 II
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 13085
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ACE FLYERS INC DBA
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99501-4112
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name ACE FLYERS INC DBA
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City ANCHORAGE
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99501-4112
Operator Code PAMR
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation External Load
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) External Load
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Beluga
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1245
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Beluga
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 9 2012 2:52PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --