# Incident 20020714034489I: Skrsky S64E, Bishop, CA, July 14, 2002

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 14, 2002, 10:00 local time
- Place: Bishop, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: E8KL
- Location: 37.3672° N, 118.3989° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Bishop, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3672&lon=-118.3989&mi=10
- Aircraft: N189AC, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N189AC) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Erickson S64E (registry code 7400000, https://openairdocs.org/model/erickson-s64e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney JFTD12A-4A (registry code 51502, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-jftd12a-4a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SKRSKY S64E
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 5,000 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020714034489I

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE SAFECOM REPORT WAS GENERATED BY THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE AND CONVEYED THAT A MODEL 64E HELICOPTER, N189AC, WAS ENGAGED IN WATER DROPS ON THE PIPER FIRE SOUTH OF BISHOP, CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT, IN HIS SAFECOM REPORT, INDICATED THAT HE WAS USING THE RESERVOIR, IN THE BISHOP AREA, AS HIS SOURCE FOR LOADING WATER ONTO HIS HELICOPTER. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HIS APPROACH WAS FROM NORTH TO SOUTH AND THAT THERE WAS A SLIGHT BREEZE OF LESS THAN 5 KNOTS. HE STATED THAT HE TRIED TO GET CLOSE TO THE SHORE BUT THAT THE WATER WAS TOO SHALLOW FOR THE SNORKEL (A HOSE CONNECTED TO A TANK ATTACHED TO THE UNDER BODY OF THE HELICOPTER WHICH IS SUBMERGED INTO A BODY OF WATER NAD USED TO FILL THE ATTACHED TANK SAVING THE HELICOPTER VALUABLE TIME IN NOT HAVING TO LAND AND REFILL) TO SUBMERGE. HE THEN INDICATED THAT HE MOVED ABOUT 50 FEET TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE RESERVOIR BUT HAD MISJUDGED HIS VISUAL CLUES ON HIS APPROACH. HE THEN STATED THAT THE WATER APPEARED TO BE "MILKY AND GLASSY" AND THAT HE HAD LITTLE OR NO AIRSPEED, BUT THAT HE WAS STILL IN A FLARED POSITION AS HE APPROACHED THE WATER. AT THAT POINT, HE FELT THE WHEELS TOUCH THE WATER AND THEN FELT VIBRATION FROM THE PEDALS. IT WAS AT THIS POINT, ALTHOUGH NOT STATED, HE INDICATES THAT "I REALIZED WHAT HAPPENED SO I MOVED TO THE SHORE AND SHUT THE AIRCRAFT DOWN." THE PILOT STATED, "THAT HE ALSO CALLED AIR ATTACK TO INFORM THEM ON WHAT HAPPENED." IT IS PRESUMED THAT THE PILOT KNEW AT THAT POINT THAT HIS TAIL ROTOR HAD STRUCK THE WATER. THIS IS SUPPORTED, BY THE ADDED NOTE, FOLLOWING THE PILOT'S COMMENTS, ADDRESSED IN THE REPORT, THAT THE R-5 RASM (REGIONAL AVIATION SAFETY MANAGER COVERING REGION 5) STATED: "TAIL ROTOR OF AIRCRAFT CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE WATER KNOCKING OFF 2 ROTOR TIP CAPS."

## Other reports on N189AC (1)

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

- [Accident 20061001019979A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20061001019979A), Oct 1, 2006: Skrsky S64E (N189AC), CA, Substantial damage. (-23) On Sunday October 1st 2006, an exclusive use erickson air-crane S-64 helicopter, N189AC, operated by erickson air-crane of central point, Oregon, had…

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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