OpenAirDocs.org

20121215028489A

Accident · Substantial damage
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Eurocopter AS350-B3 · Beluga, AK · December 15, 2012

FAA Aviation Safety Information PortalNTSB investigation search

© OpenStreetMap
Date
December 15, 2012 · 10:00 local
Place
Beluga, AK
Airport
Off Airport
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator
EOOL
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
CGYPH
Reported as
Eurocopter AS350-B3
Reported engine
Turbomeca ARRIEL
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
3,003 total48 in this make and model91 in the last 90 days

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.

At approximately 1000 local time, while conducting a class b external load operation, the helicopter impacted terrain, causing substantial damage to the helicopter and seriously injuring the pilot.

When the wreckage was located, the external load was found 500 feet away from the main wreckage site with 45 feet of the load line still attached. The main wreckage came to rest on its left side and the site contained the remaining parts of the helicopter.

The tail rotor section, aft of the horizontal stabilizer, was located 250 feet from the main wreckage with approximately 55 feet of load line coiled around it 13 times.

A closer inspection of the line attached to the external load reveals no swivel was used (not required) and large amounts of twisting on the load line sleeve. The four point cable attachment on the top of the external load was also twisted and frayed, indicating the load had been spinning in flight.

Currently no regulations exist requiring the utilization of swivels when conducting external load operations. In addition, the use of a swivel is not required in prism helicopter's operations manual.

A safety recommendation will be submitted to require the use of a swivel for class b or c external load operations.

As the FAA filed it

AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 LOCAL TIME, WHILE CONDUCTING A CLASS B EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATION, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED TERRAIN, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER AND SERIOUSLY INJURING THE PILOT.

WHEN THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED, THE EXTERNAL LOAD WAS FOUND 500 FEET AWAY FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE SITE WITH 45 FEET OF THE LOAD LINE STILL ATTACHED. THE MAIN WRECKAGE CAME TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE AND THE SITE CONTAINED THE REMAINING PARTS OF THE HELICOPTER.

THE TAIL ROTOR SECTION, AFT OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, WAS LOCATED 250 FEET FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE WITH APPROXIMATELY 55 FEET OF LOAD LINE COILED AROUND IT 13 TIMES.

A CLOSER INSPECTION OF THE LINE ATTACHED TO THE EXTERNAL LOAD REVEALS NO SWIVEL WAS USED (NOT REQUIRED) AND LARGE AMOUNTS OF TWISTING ON THE LOAD LINE SLEEVE. THE FOUR POINT CABLE ATTACHMENT ON THE TOP OF THE EXTERNAL LOAD WAS ALSO TWISTED AND FRAYED, INDICATING THE LOAD HAD BEEN SPINNING IN FLIGHT.

CURRENTLY NO REGULATIONS EXIST REQUIRING THE UTILIZATION OF SWIVELS WHEN CONDUCTING EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATIONS. IN ADDITION, THE USE OF A SWIVEL IS NOT REQUIRED IN PRISM HELICOPTER'S OPERATIONS MANUAL.

A SAFETY RECOMMENDATION WILL BE SUBMITTED TO REQUIRE THE USE OF A SWIVEL FOR CLASS B OR C EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATIONS.