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19950411016449I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Kaman K-1200 · Ukiah, CA · April 11, 1995

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
April 11, 1995 · 13:15 local
Place
Ukiah, CA
Phase of flight
Hovering
Operating rules
Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator
GMAL
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N135KA
Reported as
Kaman K1200
Reported engine
Lycoming T5317A
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
15,000 total170 in this make and model140 in the last 90 days
N135KARegistration cancelled Mar 29, 1996 · Kaman Aerospace K-1200S/N A940007Airframe modelKaman Aerospace K-1200

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Narrative: on Tuesday, April 11, 1995, at approximately 1315 hrs. PST, Mr. Robert g. fulton, pilot in command of Kaman K-1200, N135KA, operated by Louisiana pacific corporation, external-load operator certificate no. GMAL364E, was conducting logging operations approximately eight miles northwest of Ukiah, California. Mr. Fulton attempted to lift a load of logs that was too heavy for the aircraft. Mr. Fulton set the load back down so the "hooker" could re-configure the load. While hovering, Mr. Fulton attempted to aid the "hooker" by positioning the aircraft forward of its current position. During the repositioning attempt, the right rotor system blades struck a "snag" and the aircraft started to vibrate. Mr. Fulton immediately released the load and departed the area. At 150 feet to 200 feet from the blade strike location, Mr. Fulton released the external load line. He then proceeded 1/2 to 3/4 miles to a clearing where he landed the aircraft. The aircraft sustained minor damage. The damage was to the right rotor system blades; one blade lost 13 inches and the other blade lost 33 inches.

As the FAA filed it

NARRATIVE: ON TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 1995, AT APPROXIMATELY 1315 HRS. PST, MR. ROBERT G. FULTON, PILOT IN COMMAND OF KAMAN K-1200, N135KA, OPERATED BY LOUISIANA PACIFIC CORPORATION, EXTERNAL-LOAD OPERATOR CERTIFICATE NO. GMAL364E, WAS CONDUCTING LOGGING OPERATIONS APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MILES NORTHWEST OF UKIAH, CALIFORNIA. MR. FULTON ATTEMPTED TO LIFT A LOAD OF LOGS THAT WAS TOO HEAVY FOR THE AIRCRAFT. MR. FULTON SET THE LOAD BACK DOWN SO THE "HOOKER" COULD RE-CONFIGURE THE LOAD. WHILE HOVERING, MR. FULTON ATTEMPTED TO AID THE "HOOKER" BY POSITIONING THE AIRCRAFT FORWARD OF ITS CURRENT POSITION. DURING THE REPOSITIONING ATTEMPT, THE RIGHT ROTOR SYSTEM BLADES STRUCK A "SNAG" AND THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO VIBRATE. MR. FULTON IMMEDIATELY RELEASED THE LOAD AND DEPARTED THE AREA. AT 150 FEET TO 200 FEET FROM THE BLADE STRIKE LOCATION, MR. FULTON RELEASED THE EXTERNAL LOAD LINE. HE THEN PROCEEDED 1/2 TO 3/4 MILES TO A CLEARING WHERE HE LANDED THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE. THE DAMAGE WAS TO THE RIGHT ROTOR SYSTEM BLADES; ONE BLADE LOST 13 INCHES AND THE OTHER BLADE LOST 33 INCHES.