20210830008789A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Gustavus, AK · August 30, 2021

Date: August 30, 2021 · 13:15 local
Place: Gustavus, AK
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator: 1TQL
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N878CB
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC21LA079
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,324 total785 in this make and model118 in the last 90 days

N878CBRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 10404 · Built 2004 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 II Engine modelLycoming IO-540 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.

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 2400 MSL. Intended drop site was depression on rough terrain hillside next to propane tank farm. This was eleventh tank drop, and upon arrival, workers were moving in the lz, causing pilot to stop approach ~75 short of site at oge hover with load. After workers cleared lz, pilot moved forward to drop off tank with no discernable wind. While at ~15 AGL, RPM drooped which pilot responded to with reduced collective added throttle and jettison load. Aircraft settled onto propane tank crushing rear cowling and bending rt skid. A/c shut down with no injuries or further malfunction.

As the FAA filed it

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 2400 MSL. INTENDED DROP SITE WAS DEPRESSION ON ROUGH TERRAIN HILLSIDE NEXT TO PROPANE TANK FARM. THIS WAS ELEVENTH TANK DROP, AND UPON ARRIVAL, WORKERS WERE MOVING IN THE LZ, CAUSING PILOT TO STOP APPROACH ~75 SHORT OF SITE AT OGE HOVER WITH LOAD. AFTER WORKERS CLEARED LZ, PILOT MOVED FORWARD TO DROP OFF TANK WITH NO DISCERNABLE WIND. WHILE AT ~15 AGL, RPM DROOPED WHICH PILOT RESPONDED TO WITH REDUCED COLLECTIVE ADDED THROTTLE AND JETTISON LOAD. AIRCRAFT SETTLED ONTO PROPANE TANK CRUSHING REAR COWLING AND BENDING RT SKID. A/C SHUT DOWN WITH NO INJURIES OR FURTHER MALFUNCTION.

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 ANC21LA079Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportPelican, AKThe pilot’s improper preflight planning to ensure adequate power to hover out-of-ground effect while conducting external load operations.Aug 30, 2021 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N878CB · 1

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

Incident 20200710004789INeets Bay, AKThe 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…Jul 10, 2020 · Minor damage