- Date
- September 5, 1983, 13:10 local (20:10 UTC)
- Place
- Elk Rock, WA
- Injuries
- 7 serious, 5 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N58034Bell 205A-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830905046469A
- Case key
- 39631
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
The acft was climbing thru about 800 ft AGL, when the plt noted a severe shudder & vibration. He lowered the collective, then noticed that the N2 & rotor RPM were pegged at 110%. As he reapplied the collective to stop the overspeed, he noted a loss of thrust & began an autorotation. The only suitable area of land was on a mud flown. The plt was unable to turn into the wind in the landing area. Subsequently, the helicopter received extensive damage during an autorotative landing, downwind, on rough terrain. A disassembly & exam of the eng revealed that the shaft bearing (#21), pn 1-300-082-01, and the N2 tachometer drive spur gear, pn 1-070-062-04, had failed. Fatigue was found on the spur gear.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N58034
- Reported as
- Bell 205A-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 30132
- Airframe hours
- 6,550
- Engine
- Lycoming T53-13B, 1,250 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Heli-Jet, Incorporated
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 6, 1983 · 43 hours before
- Departed
- Hoffstadt, WA
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
- 35
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,677 total · 1,174 in this make and model · 120 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 72 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.