- Date
- August 30, 2021, 13:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Pelican, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N878CBRobinson Helicopter R44 II
- Defining event
- Landing: External load event (Rotorcraft)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20210830008789A
- Case key
- 103782
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s improper preflight planning to ensure adequate power to hover out-of-ground effect while conducting external load operations.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was conducting helicopter external sling load operations to a remote mountain top. At the drop off site, while in a hover about 20 ft above the ground, with his attention focused outside to ensure he cleared terrain and obstacles, he felt the helicopter begin to settle. The rpm began to decay, the low rotor rpm light illuminated, and the horn sounded. He immediately lowered the collective, released the cargo and impacted the ground coming to rest on top of the cargo. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the rotor system and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation, and that the accident may have been prevented if he had received additional training from the company to include flying at gross weight with and without external loads. In addition to having pilots check for available power in an out-of-ground effect hover with altitudes and escape routes before committing to the approach.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N878CB
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 10404
- Built
- 2004
- Airframe hours
- 3,570
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AE1A%, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- External load · Part 133
- Operator
- Helicopter Air Alaska LLC
- Registered owner
- Helicopter Air Alaska LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 1, 2021
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Equipment
- ADS-B
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 3, 2021
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,635 total · 750 in this make and model · 1,500 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- PAEL, 6 nm away
- METAR
- PAEL 302045Z VRB04KT 20SM SKC 13/10 A3003 RMK SEA 0 SWELL 2 SW NOSPECI
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 18, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N878CB · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.