20030116000359A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 212 · Lakefryxell, AY · January 16, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal NTSB investigation search

Date: January 16, 2003
Place: Lakefryxell, AY
Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N1079U
Reported as: Bell 212
Fatal injuries: 0

N1079URegistered now · Bell 212S/N 31122 · Built 1980 Airframe modelBell 212 Engine modelPratt & Whitney PT6 seriesTurbo-prop

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) Witnesses reported that the helicopter was hovering (approx 100' AGL) during an external load operation when "white smoke" was seen emanating from the helicopter. It descended to the ground, impacting the ice hard. The tailboom was separated from the helicopter. The second crewmember was the sling load observer. All dates and times are local CST. Antarctica time is 19 hours ahead of CST.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS HOVERING (APPROX 100' AGL) DURING AN EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATION WHEN "WHITE SMOKE" WAS SEEN EMANATING FROM THE HELICOPTER. IT DESCENDED TO THE GROUND, IMPACTING THE ICE HARD. THE TAILBOOM WAS SEPARATED FROM THE HELICOPTER. THE SECOND CREWMEMBER WAS THE SLING LOAD OBSERVER. ALL DATES AND TIMES ARE LOCAL CST. ANTARCTICA TIME IS 19 HOURS AHEAD OF CST.