# Incident 20200710004789I: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Neets Bay, AK, July 10, 2020

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 10, 2020, 10:30 local time
- Place: Neets Bay, AK
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: 1TQC
- Location: 55.7669° N, 131.4169° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=55.7669&lon=-131.4169&mi=10
- Aircraft: N878CB, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N878CB) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,522 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC20CA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC20CA068) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200710004789I

## Narrative

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

THE OPERATOR WAS CONDUCTING FLIGHTS AT A REMOTE LOCATION IN NEETS BAY, ALASKA WHICH IS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 29 MILES NORTH OF KETCHIKAN.  THE FLIGHTS OCCURRED BETWEEN A MAIN BASE ON THE BEACH TO A LANDING PAD LOCATED 2 MILES INLAND.  THE PURPOSE OF THE OPERATION WAS TRANSPORTATION OF A BRUSH CLEARING CREW OF 6/EQUIPMENT TO PREPARE FOR INSTALLATION OF A POWERLINE.  AFTER LANDING AT THE REMOTE PAD ON THE 4TH FLIGHT OF THE MORNING TO DELIVER EQUIPMENT, THE LEAD GROUND CREWMAN APPROACHED THE HELICOPTER THAT WAS RUNNING AT GROUND IDLE; THE OTHER 5 CREW REMAINED STANDING JUST BEYOND THE ROTOR DISK.  UPON DISCOVERY THAT THE CHAINSAW BAR WAS NOT CORRECT, THE CREWMAN TURNED AWAY FROM THE HELICOPTER DOOR AND THREW A CHAINSAW BAR IN AN ARCING MOTION.  THE BAR CONTACTED ONE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES.  NONE OF THE CREW WERE INJURED.  POST SHUTDOWN INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER IDENTIFIED DAMAGE, INCLUDING A HOLE, TO THE UNDERSIDE OF ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE.  PRIOR TO THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY, THE CREW PARTICIPATED IN AN HOUR-LONG SAFETY BRIEFING WITH THE PILOT . THE BLADE WAS DETERMINED TO BE NOT REPAIRABLE.

## 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 ANC20CA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC20CA068), Jul 10, 2020: Robinson R44 (N878CB), Ketchikan, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The crew leader's decision to throw a chainsaw bar into the moving arc of the main rotor blade.

## Other reports on N878CB (1)

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

- [Accident 20210830008789A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210830008789A), Aug 30, 2021: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II (N878CB), Gustavus, AK, Substantial damage. Pilot was transporting propane '420' tanks by external short sling (10 ft reach + 3 foot harness) from beach refueling at sea level to remote repeater site at…

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.

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