20060818017679A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Kaman HH-43F · Sullivan Lake, WA · August 18, 2006

Date: August 18, 2006 · 16:05 local
Place: Sullivan Lake, WA
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator: HOGL
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N559D
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA06LA162
Reported as: Kaman HH43F
Reported engine: Lycoming T53L13B
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,001 total898 in this make and model310 in the last 90 days

N559DRegistration cancelled May 16, 2013 · Kaman HH-43FS/N 62-4514 · Built 1962 Airframe modelKaman HH-43F Engine modelLycoming T-53 seriesReciprocating

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) On 08-18-2006, while engaged in logging operations this helicopter and pilot crashed from an altitude of approximately 150 feet onto the log decking area. Witnesses reported a loud noise, the top of the helicopter departing the main fuselage, and the helicopter falling to the ground nose first. The aircraft struck the southwest side of the log deck in a nose down attitude fatally injuring the pilot and sole occupant of the aircraft. Investigation at the accident site supported the fact that the transmission and rotor blades were not attached to the aircraft when it struck the log deck. Further investigation showed a failure of an internal component of the transmission which led to the rotor blades being out of sync, striking one another, and breaking. This resulted in a gross out-of-balance condition which tore the transmission from the aircraft in flight. This accident occurred with no fire. All major components were accounted for at the accident scene.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON 08-18-2006, WHILE ENGAGED IN LOGGING OPERATIONS THIS HELICOPTER AND PILOT CRASHED FROM AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET ONTO THE LOG DECKING AREA. WITNESSES REPORTED A LOUD NOISE, THE TOP OF THE HELICOPTER DEPARTING THE MAIN FUSELAGE, AND THE HELICOPTER FALLING TO THE GROUND NOSE FIRST. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF THE LOG DECK IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE FATALLY INJURING THE PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT. INVESTIGATION AT THE ACCIDENT SITE SUPPORTED THE FACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND ROTOR BLADES WERE NOT ATTACHED TO THE AIRCRAFT WHEN IT STRUCK THE LOG DECK. FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOWED A FAILURE OF AN INTERNAL COMPONENT OF THE TRANSMISSION WHICH LED TO THE ROTOR BLADES BEING OUT OF SYNC, STRIKING ONE ANOTHER, AND BREAKING. THIS RESULTED IN A GROSS OUT-OF-BALANCE CONDITION WHICH TORE THE TRANSMISSION FROM THE AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT. THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED WITH NO FIRE. ALL MAJOR COMPONENTS WERE ACCOUNTED FOR AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE.

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 SEA06LA162Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportMetaline Falls, WAThe failure of the left-hand cross-shaft input internal spline while the helicopter was in a hover, which resulted in the loss of gear box timing, in-flight blade contact and separation, and the subsequent loss of control and impact with a log deck.Aug 18, 2006 · Destroyed