N888DR

Substantial
None

BELL 206BS/N: 327

Accident Details

Date
Saturday, November 2, 2013
NTSB Number
WPR14CA041
Location
Superior, MT
Event ID
20131102X13104
Coordinates
47.316665, -115.483329
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering during a long-line operation.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N888DR
Make
BELL
Serial Number
327
Engine Type
Turbo-shaft
Year Built
1968
Model / ICAO
206BB06
Aircraft Type
Rotorcraft
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
AKN INC
Address
6000 DOUGLAS DR N
Status
Deregistered
City
CRYSTAL
State / Zip Code
MN 55429-2314
Country
United States

Analysis

The pilot reported that during the last long-line load of the day moving bags of cedar mulch, while on approach to the drop zone, he looked outside at the trees, and did not see any indication of wind; however, he felt a little shudder as the helicopter came out of translational lift. He again looked outside at the trees, and did not see any indication of wind, and continued his approach to the drop zone. Once over the drop zone, as he went to release the bag, he noticed that the remote hook plug had come unplugged. He decided to pick the load back up and move the bag over to the pile of mulch so he could land and manually unhook the bag. When he picked the bag off the ground, the helicopter started to spin to the right, which he was unable to stop. He noticed that the collective was in the full up position so he lowered it to stop the spinning; however, before he could arrest the spinning, the helicopter struck a pile of mulch, and rolled onto its right side, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR14CA041