- Date
- January 25, 1993, 09:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Volcano Natl Pk, HI
- Injuries
- 4 fatal, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N427FHFairchild Hiller FH-1100
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 18, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930125000869A
- Case key
- 27912
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
A loss of tail rotor control for an undetermined reason(s). A factor which contributed to the accident was the pilot's choice of a hover altitude/position inadequate to reach a shoreline in the event of an emergency. A factor which contributed to the severity of the passengers' injuries was the operator's failure to provide passengers with lifevests.
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 pilot had taken the 4 passengers of a tour group on a sightseeing flight. While near the volcanoes national park, he elected to hover near the shoreline between 100 and 150 ft asl. The pilot reported that when he attempted to resume forward flight, a total left pedal failure occurred. The helicopter began to spin and he lost control. The pilot performed an autorotative descent and touched down in the pacific ocean. A wave swamped the helicopter and it sank. The helicopter was not equipped with floats, and none of the passengers were wearing a lifevest. The pilot was the only survivor.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N427FH
- Reported as
- Fairchild Hiller FH-1100
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 134
- Airframe hours
- 3,243
- Engine
- Allison 250-C18, 317 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Kainoa Aviation, Inc
- Registered owner
- Pathfinder Helicopter Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 29, 1992 · 80 hours before
- Departed
- ITO · Hilo, HI
- 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
- 41
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 12,500 total · 130 in this make and model · 11,000 as pilot in command · 130 in the last 90 days · 75 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ITO, 25 nm away
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 N427FH · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.