# Accident 19930502011439A: Bell 204B, Copper Harbor, AK, May 2, 1993

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 2, 1993, 12:50 local time
- Place: Copper Harbor, AK
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: EEYA
- Location: 55.6104° N, 131.5794° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=55.6104&lon=-131.5794&mi=10
- Aircraft: N204AQ, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N204AQ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 204-B (registry code 1181404, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-204-b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming T-53 series (registry code 41552, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-t-53-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 204B
- Reported engine: LYC T53*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 8,500 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 17 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC93FA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC93FA056) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930502011439A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

SMOKE FROM TAIL ROTOR. GEAR BOX BROKE DURING APPROACH. SPUN IN. OVER GROSS WEIGHT. IMPROPER MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC93FA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC93FA056), May 2, 1993: Bell 204B (N204AQ), Copper Harbor, AK, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX, AND IMPROPER HELICOPTER OPERATIONS BEING CONDUCTED BY THE OPERATOR RESULTING IN REPETITIVE AT AND OVER MAXIMUM LOADS. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: MATERIAL…

## Other reports on N204AQ (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19891001058759I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891001058759I), Oct 1, 1989: Bell 204B (N204AQ), Medford, OR. Radio failure en route. Unable to contact ATC. Flew through control zone without clearance.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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