19980709034769A

Accident

FAA accident report · Hughes 369D · Grays River, WA · July 9, 1998

Date: July 9, 1998 · 14:20 local
Place: Grays River, WA
Phase of flight: Hovering
Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Aircraft: N5063G
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA98LA128
Reported as: Hughes 369D
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 25,000 total15,000 in this make and model350 in the last 90 days

N5063GRegistered now · Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369DS/N 711021D Airframe modelHughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D

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.

Mr. Reed, working for olympic helicopters, subcontracted to the weyhaeuser corporation, was sling loading cedar blocks from a logged area. Shortly after lifting a load of blocks the eye splice gave way and the blocks fell fatally injuring one of the ground crew. The ground crew failed to remain clear of the load, it appears that there was no action the pilot or operator could have taken that would have prevented this accident. It was determined that the eye splice used was not properly manufactured resulting in it's failure. However, the attaching devices used were supplied by the ground crew. It is extremely remote that olympic air or the pilot would have recognized the improper splice, as identical splices have been used by numerous logging crews and it was only after this accident that the department of labor and industries pointed out that the splices did not conform to labor a ND industry standards.

As the FAA filed it

MR. REED, WORKING FOR OLYMPIC HELICOPTERS, SUBCONTRACTED TO THE WEYHAEUSER CORPORATION, WAS SLING LOADING CEDAR BLOCKS FROM A LOGGED AREA. SHORTLY AFTER LIFTING A LOAD OF BLOCKS THE EYE SPLICE GAVE WAY AND THE BLOCKS FELL FATALLY INJURING ONE OF THE GROUND CREW. THE GROUND CREW FAILED TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THE LOAD, IT APPEARS THAT THERE WAS NO ACTION THE PILOT OR OPERATOR COULD HAVE TAKEN THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS ACCIDENT. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE EYE SPLICE USED WAS NOT PROPERLY MANUFACTURED RESULTING IN IT'S FAILURE. HOWEVER, THE ATTACHING DEVICES USED WERE SUPPLIED BY THE GROUND CREW. IT IS EXTREMELY REMOTE THAT OLYMPIC AIR OR THE PILOT WOULD HAVE RECOGNIZED THE IMPROPER SPLICE, AS IDENTICAL SPLICES HAVE BEEN USED BY NUMEROUS LOGGING CREWS AND IT WAS ONLY AFTER THIS ACCIDENT THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIES POINTED OUT THAT THE SPLICES DID NOT CONFORM TO LABOR A ND INDUSTRY STANDARDS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA98LA128Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportRaymond, WAThe use of the improper long-line cable by the ground crew, and its subsequent separation from the helicopter.Jul 9, 1998 · No damage

Other reports on N5063G · 1

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

Accident 19840502016739AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · New Braunfels, TXStruck tail rotor on the ground during a precautionary landing due to adverse weather. Obscuration fog and drizzle.May 2, 1984 · Substantial damage