# NTSB NYC06LA224: Garlick OH-58A, N802JB, East Bridgewate, MA, September 19, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 19, 2006, 16:40 local (20:40 UTC) - Place: East Bridgewate, MA - Coordinates: 42.229263, -71.529899 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.2293&lon=-71.5299&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured; on the ground: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report June 30, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 64534 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC06LA224 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64534/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC06LA224 ## Probable cause The completion center's installation of the incorrect (shorter) release cable, and the ground crewmember's improper movement under the flight path during a bin transfer. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, takeoff - initial climb - external load cable/hook - incorrect - maintenance,installation - incorrect, other maintenance personnel (cause) - procedures/directives - not followed, ground personnel (cause) - external load release system - activated ## Analysis The helicopter was transporting empty cranberry bins via cargo hook. The bins were lifted from a flatbed trailer, about 4 feet from a ground crewmember, a 9-year hook-up veteran. After the fifth lift, the ground crewmember attempted to run to, and help a truck driver of another trailer. Although he had a hard hat with a combination ear muffs/radio receiver and microphone, the ground crewmember did not advise the pilot of his intentions, and ran under the track flown during the previous four loads. As the helicopter flew over the ground crewmember, the cargo hook opened, uncommanded by the pilot, and the bins fell about 8 feet onto the ground crewmember. The cargo hook system had been removed from another helicopter in 2002, and that helicopter had previously had it installed at a completion center in 1997. The hook release cable, Bell part number 206-072-903-101 was installed; however, the correct part number was 206-072-903-1, which was approximately 1 inch longer, and would have allowed enough slack to normally preclude any tension on the cargo hook manual release mechanism. After discovering the different part numbers, the operator found that another of his helicopters had the shorter release cable, and he changed it to the longer one as well. ## Factual narrative On September 19, 2006, about 1640 eastern daylight time, a ground crewmember was seriously injured when a sling load was inadvertently dropped from a Garlick OH58A, N802JB, in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight was not operating on a flight plan while conducting multiple local flights from a cranberry bog. The external sling load flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 133. According to the pilot, he was airlifting empty cranberry bins to the bog to be filled. The bins were lifted from a 48-foot flatbed trailer, about 4 feet away from the ground crewmember, a 9-year hook-up veteran. After the fifth lift, the ground crewmember decided to "run over and help the truck driver of the previously loaded trailer." Although all ground personnel had hard hats with a combination ear muffs/radio receiver and microphone, the ground crewmember did not advise the pilot of his intentions, and ran under the track flown during the previous four loads. As the helicopter flew over him, the cargo hook opened, uncommanded by the pilot, and the bins fell about 8 feet on to the ground crewmember. The pilot noted that the cargo hook system included a primary hook attached to the belly of the helicopter, a lanyard attached to the primary hook, and a secondary, emergency release hook at the bottom of the lanyard, that attached to a load sling. After the accident, the pilot noticed that the lanyard with the secondary, emergency release hook was not attached to the primary hook. He reattached it to the primary hook and tugged on it, and the load beam opened. The primary hook assembly was subsequently removed from the helicopter and provided to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors for further examination. When a new primary cargo hook assembly was installed, and when the emergency release cable was attached, tension was found to be on the primary hook release mechanism, to the extent that "the slightest movement of the cable caused the hook load beam to open." According to an FAA inspector, the emergency release cable exited a fitting on the belly of the helicopter and entered another fitting approximately 4 1/2 inches away. The fittings were not aligned, and were offset about 1 1/2 inches. Ground testing revealed that cable tension would sometimes release the primary hook without command. According to the operator, the hook assembly had previously been removed from another helicopter in 2002, and that helicopter had received the assembly in 1997 at a completion center in Tennessee. The installed release cable was Bell part number 206-072-903-101; however, the correct part number was 206-072-903-1, which was approximately 1 inch longer, and would have allowed enough slack to normally preclude tension on the cargo hook manual release mechanism. After discovering the different part numbers, the operator found that another of his helicopters also had the shorter release cable, and he changed it to the longer one as well. According to a representative from Bell Helicopter, the shorter cable was intended for use on the Bell 206L LongRanger, while the longer cable was meant for the Bell 206 JetRanger. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N802JB](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N802JB), registered now, S/N 71-20851, built 1971 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Garlick OH-58A - Registry model: [Garlick Helicopters OH-58A+](https://openairdocs.org/model/garlick-helicopters-oh-58a-plus) (registry code 3740006) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 71-20581 - Airframe hours: 5494 - Engines: Allison 250-C20C 420 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: No damage - Flight: External load, Part 133 - Operator: JBI Helicopter Services - Registered owner: Horizon Helicopters, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 1, 2006 - Departed: NONE, East Bridgewate, MA - Destination: NONE ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 1, 2006; seat: right; flight hours: 14,702 total, 1,620 in this make and model, 14,600 as pilot in command, 186 in the last 90 days, 74 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,700 ft broken - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.70 inHg - Observed at: PYM, 8 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20060919023499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060919023499A), Sep 19, 2006: Garlik OH58A+GARLIK, Bridgewater, MA. (-23) The helicopter was engaged in transporting empty cranberry bins by sling load. The bins were being moved from a trailer truck and taken to a cranberry… ## Other investigations on N802JB (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ERA10LA362](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA362), Jul 15, 2010: Garlick Helicopters OH-58A+ (N802JB), Rowley, MA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the power turbine governor internal driveshaft bearings, resulting in the failure of the governor. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.