ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 43717
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| Date: | Thursday 2 August 2007 |
| Time: | 14:20 |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 II |
| Owner/operator: | Classic Helicopter Corp |
| Registration: | N7531D |
| MSN: | 10412 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2004 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 436 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Easton, WA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi |
| Departure airport: | Easton, WA |
| Smith Island, WA | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On August 2, 2007, about 1420 Pacific daylight time, a Robinson R44 II helicopter, N7531D, was destroyed after impacting mountainous terrain during takeoff about five miles southwest of Easton, Washington. The commercial pilot and three passengers were killed. The helicopter was registered to Comprador Helicopters LLC, of Bellevue, Washington, and operated by Classic Helicopter Corp., of Seattle, Washington. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident for the cross-country charter flight, which was being operated in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. A flight plan was not filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident, and its destination was Smith Island, Washington.
The helicopter was departing from a clear cut area in forested mountainous terrain at an elevation of 4,961 feet. A witness observed the helicopter lift off vertically, oriented in a southerly direction, to an altitude of about 40 feet before turning 90 degrees to the left and proceeding down the hillside to the east. The helicopter then began to sway back and forth after traveling about 100 to 150 feet, then it impacted the ground in a nose low, left bank attitude. The witness stated that the wind was switching around during the morning, and that it was blowing down slope toward the east at the time of the accident. The closest weather reporting facility, which was located 8 miles west of the accident site, reported winds gusting out of the west to 16 knots. No evidence of any preimpact anomalies were found during the post accident examination that would have precluded normal operation. During the accident flight the helicopter was being operated 77 pounds over the maximum gross weight for an Out of Ground Effect hover for the existing conditions. The helicopter was being operated in a high density altitude environment, which was computed to be 6,841 feet mean sea level.
Probable Cause: The pilot's improper planning/decision in attempting a downwind takeoff under high density altitude conditions that resulted in a loss of control and impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident were the helicopter's gross weight in excess of the maximum hover out of ground effect limit, a high density altitude, and the gusty tailwind.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. NTSB Identification: SEA07FA223 at https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20070808X01151&ntsbno=SEA07FA223&akey=1
2. FAA Registration: https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=N7531D
3. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/four-dead-in-helicopter-crash-fire-near-snoqualmie-pass/
4. http://www.khq.com/story/6883388/4-bodies-recovered-in-helicopter-crash
5. http://www.nbcrightnow.com/story/6880388/helicopter-crash-sparks-forest-fire-east-of-snoqualmie-pass-no-survivors
6. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/4-victims-of-helicopter-crash-that-sparked-fire-near-easton-identified/
7. http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2012/02/robinson-r44-ii-n7531d-advisory-dawson.html
8. http://avstop.com/news_february_2012/death_of_4_robinson_helicopter_faces_trial_fuel_tank_design_on_the_r44ii.htm
9. https://www.baumhedlundlaw.com/advisorydawson-lee-v-robinson-helicopter-company-trial-begins-march-5-2012-in-seattle-washington/
10. https://www.baumhedlundlaw.com/pdf/LeeWrongfulDeathComplaint2.pdf
Location
Images:
Photos: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Oct-2008 00:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 04-Dec-2017 18:51 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Other fatalities, Source, Narrative] |
| 31-Oct-2018 22:15 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 03-May-2023 02:30 | Captain Adam | Updated [[Time, Other fatalities, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative]] |
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