# Accident 20060818017679A: Kaman HH43F, Sullivan Lake, WA, August 18, 2006

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 18, 2006, 16:05 local time
- Place: Sullivan Lake, WA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: HOGL
- Location: 48.8272° N, 117.2967° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.8272&lon=-117.2967&mi=10
- Aircraft: N559D, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N559D-2013-05-16) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Kaman HH-43F (registry code 4800708, https://openairdocs.org/model/kaman-hh-43f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming T-53 series (registry code 41549, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-t-53-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: KAMAN HH43F
- Reported engine: LYC T53L13B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 2,001 total, 898 in this make and model, 310 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA06LA162](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA06LA162) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060818017679A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB SEA06LA162](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA06LA162), Aug 18, 2006: Kaman HH-43F (N559D), Metaline Falls, WA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The 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…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.