- Date
- September 1, 2012, 15:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place
- Covelo, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N611CKCroman SH-3H
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 11, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120901020839I
- Case key
- 84887
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a tree during an aerial firefighting flight.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The helicopter was involved in firefighting operations. The pilot flying was in the left seat, and the senior pilot was in the right seat. The pilot completed numerous water drops on the fire during a 2-hour period. The helicopter was making its second drop in an area of steep terrain, which was about 1,000 feet lower in elevation than the lake the pilots were using for a water source. Due to the smoke, the visibility was about 1/2 mile. All five main rotor blades made contact with a snag (typically the remnants of a tree such as the trunk and/or main branches without most of its foliage), and were substantially damaged; the operator pointed out that the snag was similar in color to the smoke. The senior pilot took control of the helicopter, climbed, and made an uneventful landing near the fill point.
Factual narrative
The helicopter was involved in firefighting operations. The pilot flying was in the left seat, but the senior pilot was in the right seat. It had made numerous water drops on the fire during a 2-hour period. The helicopter was making its second drop in an area of steep terrain, which was approximately 1,000 feet lower in elevation than the lake it was using for a water source. Due to smoke, the visibility was about 1/2-mile. All five main rotor blades made contact with a snag (typically the remnants of a tree such as the trunk and/or main branches without most of its foliage); the operator pointed out that the snag was similar in color to the smoke. The senior pilot took control of the helicopter, climbed, and made an uneventful landing near the fill point.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N611CK
- Reported as
- Croman SH-3H
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 148966
- Airframe hours
- 16,082
- Engines
- GE T58-GE-402, 1,500 horsepower, turbo shaftGE T58-GE-402, 1,500 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Firefighting · Part 91
- Operator
- Croman Corp
- Registered owner
- Croman Corp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- AAIP · September 1, 2012
- Departed
- O09 · Covelo, CA
- Destination
- O09 · Covelo, CA
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 24, 2012
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 20,000 total · 1,500 in this make and model · 19,500 as pilot in command · 168 in the last 90 days · 74 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 7, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,303 total · 300 in this make and model · 1,900 as pilot in command · 86 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KUKI
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 15, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 745 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.