20010925027129A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Timber Choppers KAMAN HH-43B/F · Bonnersferry, ID · September 25, 2001

Date: September 25, 2001 · 15:03 local
Place: Bonnersferry, ID
Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator: PZ7L
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N55714
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA01LA173

N55714Registration cancelled Jun 12, 2013 · Timber Choppers KAMAN HH-43B/FS/N 154/62-4528 Airframe modelTimber Choppers KAMAN HH-43B/F Engine modelNONENone

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.

(-23) The pilot was conducting a part 133 heli-logging operation using a 175' foot long to lift logs. As stated by the witnesses on the ground, the load was lifted, approximately 2500 lbs., and during the course of the lift, the load became caught on trees and caused the shear pin to shear on the cargo hook. When this happened, the long line and load fell to the ground and pilot turned the aircraft 180 degrees and began to search for the long line. The ground crew radioed the pilot to "pull-up" because the rotor blades were hitting trees. The aircraft drifted backwards, hitting more trees with the rotor blades and then drifted forward and struck a large tree and felluntil impact which was approximately 200 feet.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A PART 133 HELI-LOGGING OPERATION USING A 175' FOOT LONG TO LIFT LOGS. AS STATED BY THE WITNESSES ON THE GROUND, THE LOAD WAS LIFTED, APPROXIMATELY 2500 LBS., AND DURING THE COURSE OF THE LIFT, THE LOAD BECAME CAUGHT ON TREES AND CAUSED THE SHEAR PIN TO SHEAR ON THE CARGO HOOK. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THE LONG LINE AND LOAD FELL TO THE GROUND AND PILOT TURNED THE AIRCRAFT 180 DEGREES AND BEGAN TO SEARCH FOR THE LONG LINE. THE GROUND CREW RADIOED THE PILOT TO "PULL-UP" BECAUSE THE ROTOR BLADES WERE HITTING TREES. THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED BACKWARDS, HITTING MORE TREES WITH THE ROTOR BLADES AND THEN DRIFTED FORWARD AND STRUCK A LARGE TREE AND FELLUNTIL IMPACT WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET.

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 SEA01LA173Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportBonners Ferry, IDThe pilot's inadequate visual lookout which lead to his failure to maintain clearance from the nearby trees while in a high-hover. Factors include mountainous/hilly terrain, and tall trees in the area where the helicopter was hovering.Sep 25, 2001 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N55714 · 2

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

Accident 19911014046499APwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate · Mt Vernon, ALReported uncommanded power reduction to flight idle. Forced landed in lake. No cause for reported problem found.Oct 14, 1991 · Reported as Kaman HH43BFCHOPER · Substantial damage Accident 19880705025639AHovering · Joseph, ORMain rotors struck a tree while long line was being hooked to a log. Helicopter fell to the ground.Jul 5, 1988 · Reported as Kaman HH43BFCHOPER · Destroyed