- Date
- March 18, 1983, 15:10 local (23:10 UTC)
- Place
- Longview, WA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N26631Fairchild Hiller FH-1100
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 39603
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
Several persons saw the helicopter flying at a cruising altitude of about 200 to 300 ft, then enter a loop type of maneuver. They lost sight of the helicopter near the bottom of the maneuver before it crashed. The plt received serious head injuries & could not recall what had happened. An exam of the airframe revealed that the transmission & main rotor hub assy had remained partially attached to the airframe thru the left & right longitudinal transmission struts. Both the left & right vertical as well as both left & right lateral transmission struts had separated near their attach points. A metallurgical exam of these parts revealed that fitting assembly, pn 24-61022-6 had failed at a fatigue crack. Additionally, corrosion was found within the left vertical & lateral (adjustable) transmission struts. Preimpact continuity of the cyclic pitch control was verified.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N26631
- Reported as
- Fairchild Hiller FH-1100
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 225
- Airframe hours
- 1,725
- Engine
- Allison 250-C18B, 317 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Archie Radakovich
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 15, 1983 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Longview, WA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 69
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 5,443 total · 14 in this make and model · 3 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 55 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TDO, 21 nm away