Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Gaston, Oregon 97119
Thursday, July 3, 2014 8:10 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to perform a mosquito abatement aerial application. With the helicopter parked adjacent to the pond where the application was to occur, the helicopter ground crew installed a bucket and related dispersement equipment. They attached the hydraulic lines and straps, which were designed to connect in such a manner that they could be disconnected by the pilot in an emergency situation. The ground crew and pilot verified that the emergency features functioned properly and adjusted the hydraulic pressure. The bucket, located about two feet in front of the helicopter, was filled and the ground crew cleared the pilot for takeoff.
The pilot raised the collective control and set his focus on a mirror affixed to the left skid in an effort to assess the bucket's height. As the helicopter lifted off, it lurched forward and, in response, the pilot applied aft cyclic. Despite the pilot's attempts, the helicopter continued to uncontrollably move forward and then assumed a nose-down attitude. The helicopter collided with terrain and rolled onto the left side substantially damaging the fuselage. Upon egressing the helicopter, the lead crew member showed the pilot that the hydraulic line was tangled around the right skid. The other crew members said that they observed the hose on the skid during taking off but, due to their vantage point, were unable to signal the pilot.
The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had raised the collective slower. He further added that there were no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inability to maintain control of the helicopter as a result of a hydraulic hose becoming entangled around the right skid.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/3/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 810 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Gaston |
| Event State | OREGON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 97119 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 453623N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1225334W |
| 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 | Unknown |
| 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 | 4500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| 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) | 33166 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 24 2014 6:42PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N684PC |
| NTSB Number | WPR14CA280 |
| 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 | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BELL |
| Aircraft Model | 47G |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 3B2 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 6744 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3200 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 18 2014 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 35 |
| Airframe Hours | 7198 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | WESTERN HELICOPTER SERVICES INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | NEWBERG |
| Aircraft Owner State | OR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 971320369 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | WESTERN HELICOPTER SERVICES INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | NEWBERG |
| Operator State | OR |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 971320369 |
| 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) | Aerial Application |
| Second Pilot on Board | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Gaston |
| Departure State | OR |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Gaston |
| Destination State | OR |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 24 2014 6:42PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |