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20090717016169A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Croman SH-3H · Willow Creek, CA · July 17, 2009

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 17, 2009 · 15:10 local
Place
Willow Creek, CA
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator
JYEL
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N613CK
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR09TA353
Reported as
Croman SH3H
Reported engine
GE T58-GE-402
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
21,000 total9,000 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days
N613CKRegistered now · Croman SH-3HS/N 152109 · Built 1965Airframe modelCroman SH-3HEngine modelGE T58-GE-402Turbo-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 aircraft departed Willow Creek helibase located .2 nautical miles north of the town of Willow Creek, CA, at 1416 hours local time to support aerial water drop operations on the shasta/trinity national forest fire. After successfully completing four (4) missions of water drop events on the active fire by transitioning from the high point heliwell located off forest service road 10N04 at latitude 41.10.866 n, longitude 123.22.480 w, at an elevation of 5000 feet MSL. At 1510 hours local time the aircraft approached the heliwell by entering final approach from the south. The PIC was at the flight controls and the snorkel was lowered into the heliwell, the PIC simultaneously applied right pedal (nose right) to a southerly heading for a standard south departure. During lift off the aircraft experienced a droop condition. The aircraft collided with the tank and banked left shearing the left main landing gear off. The main rotor blades contacted the ground and the aircraft rolled over on the hillside. The crew was able to extricate themselves from the aircraft with minor injuries.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED WILLOW CREEK HELIBASE LOCATED .2 NAUTICAL MILES NORTH OF THE TOWN OF WILLOW CREEK, CA, AT 1416 HOURS LOCAL TIME TO SUPPORT AERIAL WATER DROP OPERATIONS ON THE SHASTA/TRINITY NATIONAL FOREST FIRE. AFTER SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING FOUR (4) MISSIONS OF WATER DROP EVENTS ON THE ACTIVE FIRE BY TRANSITIONING FROM THE HIGH POINT HELIWELL LOCATED OFF FOREST SERVICE ROAD 10N04 AT LATITUDE 41.10.866 N, LONGITUDE 123.22.480 W, AT AN ELEVATION OF 5000 FEET MSL. AT 1510 HOURS LOCAL TIME THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE HELIWELL BY ENTERING FINAL APPROACH FROM THE SOUTH. THE PIC WAS AT THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AND THE SNORKEL WAS LOWERED INTO THE HELIWELL, THE PIC SIMULTANEOUSLY APPLIED RIGHT PEDAL (NOSE RIGHT) TO A SOUTHERLY HEADING FOR A STANDARD SOUTH DEPARTURE. DURING LIFT OFF THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A DROOP CONDITION. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE TANK AND BANKED LEFT SHEARING THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR OFF. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER ON THE HILLSIDE. THE CREW WAS ABLE TO EXTRICATE THEMSELVES FROM THE AIRCRAFT WITH MINOR INJURIES.

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 WPR09TA353Accident · Minor injuriesFinal reportWillow Creek, CAThe pilot’s failure to maintain adequate power during egress from a heliwell, which resulted in collision with the heliwell and a dynamic rollover.Jul 17, 2009 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N613CK · 1

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

Incident 20080506833379IHovering · Marfa, TX(-23) The pilot allowed N613CK, a Croman SH-3H helicopter, to sink during a hover while loading water into the internal cells from a stock tank. The bottom fuselage and the water drop gate doors were damaged. It was a warm windy day with additional turbulence…May 6, 2008 · Minor damage