- Date
- February 19, 1993, 13:40 local (17:40 UTC)
- Place
- Ketchikan, AK
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N114CRBell 214B1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 18, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- FAA report
- 19930219002899A
- Case key
- 5835
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
Inadequate maintenance of the hydraulic servo actuator which led to the fatigue failure and loss of flight control. In addition, the flightcrew did not, or was unable to, jettison the external load. Factors which contributed to the accident were: the pilot operating the helicopter over maximum gross weight, the operator's continued aerologging operations with aircraft exceeding maximum gross weight, and inadequate surveillance of the operator's maintenance and operations activity by the federal aviation administration.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The helicopter was hovering 200 ft AGL, with logs attached to a 150-FT longline, when it was observed to have a loss of control. The logs were dragged along the ground until caught in stumps, pitching the helicopter into the ground. The lower piston rod of the right dual hydraulic servo actuator had failed in fatigue; also bearing wear was inconsistent with components of comparable time. Operator records showed regular overloading of aerologging helicopters; acft overloaded by 2000 lbs prior to accident. Operator maintenance & facility records incomplete. Maintenance performed in Alaska without FAA authorization. No records of of FAA surveillance of operator external load operations in Alaska since start of operations 4/91. The external hook electrical release mechanism was tested & functioned normally.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N114CR
- Reported as
- Bell 214B1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 28034
- Airframe hours
- 6,772
- Engine
- Lycoming T5508D, 2,050 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 133
- Operator
- Chester Rasberry, doing business as Cri Helicopters, Inc
- Registered owner
- Chester Rasberry
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · December 6, 1992 · 40 hours before
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
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
- 49
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 16,500 total · 300 in this make and model · 10,000 as pilot in command · 80 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.