20030821037179A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Aerosp SA319B · Whittier, AK · August 21, 2003

Date: August 21, 2003 · 12:30 local
Place: Whittier, AK
Phase of flight: Hovering
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N319LF
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC03LA098
Reported as: Aerosp SA319B
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 11,300 total700 in this make and model300 in the last 90 days

N319LFRegistration cancelled Jun 27, 2013 · Aerospatiale SA319B ALOUETTE IIIS/N 2138 · Built 1974 Airframe modelAerospatiale SA319B ALOUETTE III Engine modelTurbomeca ASTAZOU seriesTurbo-shaft

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 encountered ground resonance while attempting to land on a 12'X12' aluminum pad. The resulting ground resonance resulted in the destruction of the helicopter. The pilot was counseled to include a visual inspection of the landing site in order to determine ground resonance. The company that owns the landing site has been put on notice that their landing site is unacceptable and can cause ground resonance in some types of helicopters.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED GROUND RESONANCE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON A 12'X12' ALUMINUM PAD. THE RESULTING GROUND RESONANCE RESULTED IN THE DESTRUCTION OF THE HELICOPTER. THE PILOT WAS COUNSELED TO INCLUDE A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE LANDING SITE IN ORDER TO DETERMINE GROUND RESONANCE. THE COMPANY THAT OWNS THE LANDING SITE HAS BEEN PUT ON NOTICE THAT THEIR LANDING SITE IS UNACCEPTABLE AND CAN CAUSE GROUND RESONANCE IN SOME TYPES OF HELICOPTERS.

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 ANC03LA098Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWhittier, AKThe pilot's encounter with ground resonance during landing, which resulted in an aborted landing and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.Aug 21, 2003 · Substantial damage