- Date
- August 29, 2018, 17:00 local (Aug 30, 2018, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Girdwood, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N99645Robinson R44
- Defining event
- Standing-engine(s) operating: Aircraft loading event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 11, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180829012489A
- Case key
- 98245
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 fisherman's fishing rod striking the helicopter’s rotating main rotor disk during loading.
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, while "hot loading" the second set of fishermen onto the helicopter, a fishing rod struck a main rotor disc. The pilot added that he heard a "small tick," but that, as he hovered the helicopter, he felt no unusual indications through the flight controls. During examination of the helicopter after shutdown, the pilot found damage to the main rotor blade, and based on the manufacturer's main rotor blade damage guidance, he determined that the main rotor blade was beyond repair limits. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while "hot loading" the second set of fishermen onto the helicopter, one of the fishing rods went into the main rotor disc. The pilot heard a "small tick" but felt nothing on the controls. He hovered the helicopter and no unusual indications were felt through the flight controls. Upon examination after shutdown, the pilot discovered damage to the main rotor blade and based on the manufacturer's main rotor blade damage guidance, the main rotor blade was found beyond repair limits. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blade. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N99645
- Reported as
- Robinson R44 (II)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 13448
- Built
- 2013
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Alpine Air Alaska Inc
- Registered owner
- Alpine Air Alaska Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Drift River, AK
- Destination
- Drift River, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Equipment
- Satellite tracking device, Handheld GPS
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
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2018
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 2,140 total · 1,350 in this make and model · 2,070 as pilot in command · 245 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.82 inHg
- Observed at
- PALV, 32 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 16, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 979 KB 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.