# Accident 19981005028299A: Aerosp SA315B, Big Sky, MT, October 5, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 5, 1998, 14:30 local time
- Place: Big Sky, MT
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: JOLL
- Location: 45.2605° N, 111.3196° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.2605&lon=-111.3196&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5803J, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5803J-2015-05-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aerospatiale SA315B (registry code 8680615, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-sa315b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARTOUSTEIIIB (registry code 60003, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-artousteiiib) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AEROSP SA315B
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 18,000 total, 9,000 in this make and model, 150 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA99LA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99LA001) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981005028299A

## Narrative

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

HELICOPTER INVOLVED IN A LOGGING OPERATION AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO LIFT A LOG WHEN THE WIND BLEW THE ACFT DOWN TO THE GROUND WITH THE LOG STILL PARTIALLY ATTACHED.(.19) ON OCTOBER 5, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 1430 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AEROSPATIALE SA-315B LLAMA, N5803J, REGISTERED TO AND BEING OPERATED BY CENTRAL COPTERS, INC., AND BEING FLOWN BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, WAS DESTROYED DURING AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES AND TERRAIN FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL NEAR BIG SKY, MONTANA. THE PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE FLIGHT, WHICH WAS ENGAGED IN LOGGING OPERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CLEARING OF A RECREATIONAL SKI LODGE CONSTRUCTION SITE, WAS TO HAVE BEEN OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR 133, AND ORIGINATED FROM A LOCATION NEAR THE ACCIDENT EARLIER IN THE AFTERNOON. THE PILOT REPORTED TO AN FAA INSPECTOR THAT THE GROUND CHOKER ATTACHED THE LONG LINE AROUND THREE TREES TO BE LIFTED. ONE OF THE TREES, ALTHOUGH LAYING ON THE GROUND IN A HORIZONTAL ASPECT, WAS STILL ROOTED. DURING THE LIFT OPERATION THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED RESISTANCE ON THE LONG LINE AND ATTEMPTED TO RELEASE THE LINE, INITIALLY WITHOUT SUCCESS. THE HELICOPTER'S TAIL ROTOR SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED A NEARBY TREE AND THE ROTORCRAFT THEN CRASHED OUT OF CONTROL. GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. (-23)DURING FAR 133 EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATIONS, THE GROUND CREW ATTACHED 3 LOGS TO A LONG LINE, INSTEAD OF TWO.  THE ONE LOG WAS NOT MARKED (PAINT) NOR SUPPOSED TO BE LIFTED, AND WAS STILL ROOTED TO THE GROUND.  THE HELICOPTER ATTEMPTED TO LIFT THE LOGS.  WHEN THE LOGS WOULD NOT LIFT, HE ATTEMPTED TO RELEASE THE LOAD.  THE LOAD WOULD NOT RELEASE IMMEDIATELY.  THE ROOTED LOG CAME LOOSE FROM THE GROUND CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO ROTATE LONGITUDINALLY AT SUCH AN ANGLE THAT THE TAIL ROTOR CONTACTED TREES AND SEPARATED FROM THE A/C.  THIS RESULTED IN TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL CAUSING THE A/C TO IMPACT THE GROUND.  THE PILOT LATER STATED THAT AN OVERSIZE CLEVIS WAS ATTACHED TO THE HELICOPTER HOOK.  THIS MAY HAVE CAUSED THE ELECTRICAL RELEASE TO NOT OPEN AND DELAYED THE MECHANICAL RELEASE.  THE PILOT SEAT SEPARATED FROM THE A/C FLOOR UPON IMPACT.  THE PILOT WAS WEARING A HELMET WHICH POSSIBLY SAVED HIS LIFE DURING IMPACT.

## 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 SEA99LA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99LA001), Oct 5, 1998: Aerospatiale SA-315B (N5803J), Big Sky, MT, destroyed. Probable cause: The failure of the ground handlers (chokers) to follow procedures, and separation of the tail rotor system. Contributing factors were incorrect long line hook (size), jamming of the hook release,…

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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