- Date
- August 31, 1991, 08:24 local (15:24 UTC)
- Place
- Coleville, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N53RHKaman HH43 B/F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 3, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910831037579A
- Case key
- 27344
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 failure of the pilot to adequately calculate the helicopter performance. Contributing to the accident was a delay in jettisoning the external load; the pilot's overconfidence in his abilities; and exceeding of the helicopter's hover ability during high density altitude conditions.
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 certificated commercial helicopter pilot was engaged in a salvage operation of the wreckage of a world war ii F-4U corsair, utilizing an external 50 foot long line. On the fourth trip of the day, the radial aircraft engine with propellers attached, was being lifted from rugged mountainous terrain at 11000 feet MSL. The engine was positioned at the edge of a rocky glacial chute that descended at about a 45 deg angle. The density altitude of 13000 feet and the external load weight, exceeded the performance capability of the helicopter. As the helicopter attempted to lift the engine, ground personnel observed the helicopter in a nose down attitude. The main rotor blades struck surrounding terrain. The helicopter and engine tumbled down the mountain side, disintegrating as it descended about 1/2 mile downslope. One ground crewmember received minor injuries from flying debris. The pilot received fatal injuries.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N53RH
- Reported as
- Kaman HH43 B/F
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 59-1569
- Airframe hours
- 4,182
- Engine
- Lycoming T53L11D, 1,100 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 133
- Operator
- Rogers Leasing
- Registered owner
- Rogers Leasing
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 7, 1991 · 47 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Clovis, CA
- 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
- 33
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 10,000 total · 2,500 in this make and model · 10,000 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.