# NTSB SEA03LA012: Bell 212, N82W, Longview, WA, November 22, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 22, 2002, 09:00 local (17:00 UTC) - Place: Longview, WA - Coordinates: 46.123889, -122.440277 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.1239&lon=-122.4403&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 13, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 56126 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA03LA012 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56126/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA03LA012 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees while landing. A contributing factor was trees. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, landing - object - tree(s) (contributing factor) - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis According to the operator, the pilot was landing the helicopter, equipped with a long-line and external fertilizer bucket, at a heliport located approximately 2 miles from the departure point. The operator reported that the pilot made a normal external load approach (from the northeast) and landed the bucket from a hover. After landing the bucket, ground crew personnel directed the pilot to reposition it forward of its present position due to the buckets proximity to a tree stump. After repositioning the bucket to the requested location, the pilot maneuvered the helicopter laterally and started a descent for landing. During the descent, the helicopter's main rotor blades made contact with treetops. ## Factual narrative On November 22, 2002, about 0900 Pacific standard time, a Bell 212 helicopter, N82W sustained substantial damage following a main rotor blade strike while landing at a helipad 20 miles east of Longview, Washington. Weyerhaeuser Company owns the helicopter, and it was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) repositioning flight under the provisions of Title 14, CFR Part 137, when the accident occurred. The commercial pilot was not injured, and company flight tracking procedures were in effect. According to the operator, the pilot was landing the helicopter, equipped with a long-line and external fertilizer bucket, at a heliport located approximately 2 miles from the departure point. The operator reported that the pilot made a normal external load approach (from the northeast) and landed the bucket from a hover. After landing the bucket, ground crew personnel directed the pilot to reposition it forward of its present position due to the buckets proximity to a tree stump. After repositioning the bucket to the requested location, the pilot maneuvered the helicopter laterally and started a descent for landing. During the descent, the helicopter's main rotor blades made contact with treetops and the pilot terminated the landing. Subsequent to the landing attempt, the pilot again repositioned the fertilizer bucket back to the original landing location, about 30 feet to the right, and landed without further incident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N82W](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N82W), registered now, S/N 31177, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL 212 - Registry model: [Bell 212](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-212) (registry code 1181420) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-3 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6t-3-series) (registry code 52103, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 31177 - Airframe hours: 7640 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 T-3B 1800 horsepower turbo shaft; Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 T-3B 1800 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 137 - Operator: Weyerhaeuser Co - Registered owner: Weyerhaeuser Company - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, November 9, 2002, 16 hours before - Departed: Longview, WA - Destination: Longview, WA - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; injuries: none; commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2; last flight review December 6, 2001; flight hours: 10,874 total, 4,653 in this make and model, 9,714 as pilot in command, 106 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 39 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg ## 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 20021122031969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021122031969A), Nov 22, 2002: Bell 212, Longview, WA, Substantial damage. (-23) During hover operation main rotor blades struck top of tree causing damage to both blades. ## Other investigations on N82W (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 SEA84LA012](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA84LA012), Oct 20, 1983: Bell 212 (N82W), Coos Bay, OR, substantial damage 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.