- Date
- July 5, 1988, 09:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Joseph, OR
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N55714Kaman HH43
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 14, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880705025639A
- Case key
- 40839
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 pilot was making the initial long line external load hookup of the day for the purpose of conducting logging operations. The pilot stated that as he maneuvered the aircraft into position the helicopter's main rotor system contacted a tall tree.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N55714
- Reported as
- Kaman HH43
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 924528
- Airframe hours
- 4,013
- Engine
- Lycoming T53-L11A, 1,100 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 133
- Operator
- Michael Ragenovich, doing business as Skyline Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Michael Ragenovich
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 27, 1988 · 10 hours before
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
- 34
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 4,688 total · 1,912 in this make and model · 4,434 as pilot in command · 257 in the last 90 days · 147 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BKE, 35 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 N55714 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.