| Date: | Thursday 1 June 1995 |
| Time: | 09:05 LT |
| Type: | Garlick TH-1L (Bell 204) |
| Owner/operator: | Schuyler, Sid |
| Registration: | N27FL |
| MSN: | 6439 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1969 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 9492 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming T53-13B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Umpqua, OR -
United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | Myrtle Creek, OR (16S |
| Destination airport: | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:WITNESSES SAW THE HELICOPTER STRIKE ITS TAIL ROTOR ON A TREE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LIFT A 3,000 POUND LOG SECTION USING A 150-FOOT LIFT LINE. THE TREE STRIKE DISABLED THE TAIL ROTOR, RESULTING IN LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE HELICOPTER SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED AT THE TOP OF A 150-FOOT-HIGH ROCK BLUFF, THEN SLID OFF THE BLUFF, COMING TO REST IN AN INVERTED ATTITUDE ON A 50 TO 60 PERCENT SLOPE ABOUT 250 FEET BELOW THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT.
Probable Cause: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE WITH A TREE, RESULTING IN A TAIL ROTOR BLADE STRIKE ON THE TREE WHICH DISABLED THE TAIL ROTOR. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE 150-FOOT-HIGH ROCK BLUFF.
Accident investigation:
|
|
| | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Report number: | SEA95LA110 |
| Status: | Investigation completed |
| Duration: | 6 months |
| Download report: | Final report
|
|
Sources:
NTSB SEA95LA110
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 |
ASN archive |
Added |
| 26-Feb-2010 08:54 |
harro |
Updated [Aircraft type, Nature, ] |
| 29-Jun-2014 17:41 |
TB |
Updated [Aircraft type, Source, Damage, ] |
| 29-Jun-2014 18:03 |
TB |
Updated [Aircraft type, ] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:23 |
ASN Update Bot |
Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ] |
| 09-Apr-2024 14:51 |
ASN Update Bot |
Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report, ] |
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