accident ntsb sirkorsky 5 aug 2008

8/7/2019 accident ntsb sirkorsky 5 aug 2008

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National Transportation Safety Board

PRELIMINARY REPORT

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NTSB ID:

Occurrence Date:

Occurrence Type:

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Location/Time

Most Critical Injury:

Investigated By:

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Nearest City/Place

Aircraft Information

Registration Number

State Zip Code

Aircraft Manufacturer

Local Time Time Zone

Model/Series Number

Minor NoneSerious

Amateur Built Aircraft?

Air Medical Transport Flight:

Fatal

Type of Aircraft:

Injury Summary:

Revenue Sightseeing Flight:

Narrative

Brief narrative statement of facts, conditions and circumstances pertinent to the accident/incident:

Printed on : 12/2/2010 10:33:46

NoHelicopter

49

On August 5, 2008, at 1941 Pacific daylight time, a Sikorsky, S-61N helicopter, N612AZ, experienced

a loss of power to the main rotor during takeoff initial climb, and subsequently impacted trees and

terrain near Weaverville, California. Postimpact fire destroyed the helicopter. The airline

transport pilot and 8 passengers were fatally injured, and the commercial copilot and 3 passengers

were seriously injured. The helicopter was being operated under contract to the United States

Forest Service by Carson Helicopter Services, Inc., as a public-use flight. Visual meteorological

conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight that was originating at the time of the accident.

A company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed. The helicopter was departing from

Helispot 44 (H-44, elevation 5,935 feet) en route to Helispot 36 (H-36, elevation 2,516 feet) when

the accident occurred.

The helicopter had been assigned to transport approximately 50 wildland firefighter helitack

crewmembers out of the Trinity Alps Wilderness of the Shasta Trinity National Forest due to

forecasted worsening weather conditions. The helicopter had completed two trips, and had gone to

Trinity Helibase to refuel. After it had refueled, it returned to H-44 for its third load of

passengers. During departure, the helicopter impacted trees and subsequently terrain, coming to

rest on its left side. A postcrash fire consumed the aircraft.

NoNo

S-61NSikorskyN612AZ

NTSB

Fatal

PDT194196093CAWeaverville

Accident

08/05/2008

LAX08PA259


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NTSB ID:

Occurrence Date:

Occurrence Type:

Model/Series NumberAircraft ManufacturerRegistration Number

Other Aircraft Involved

Accident Information

Aircraft Damage: Accident Occurred During:

Certificate No. InjuryNameCrew

Pilot

2

3

4

5

6

Operator Information

Name

Street Address

Operator Designator Code

City

Doing Business As

State Zip Code

Observation Time (Local):

Altimeter: "H

Pag

-Type of Certificate(s) Held:

Air Carrier Operating Certificate(s):

Operating Certificate:

Regulation Flight Conducted Under:

Type of Flight Operations Conducted:

Operator Certificate:

Flight Plan/Itinerary

Type of Flight Plan Filed:

Last Departure Point

Destination

State Airport Identifier

Airport IdentifierState

Weather Information

Investigator's Source:

Sky/Lowest Cloud Condition:

Facility ID:

Ft. AGL Visibility:

Ft. AGL

SM

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Lowest Ceiling:

SeriousOn FileOn File

FatalOn FileOn File

29.8310None

1700Thin Broken

1953RDD

NONELocal Flight

NONESame as Accident/Incident Location

Company VFR

Public Use

None

83705IDBoise

USDA Forest Service

Takeoff - initial climbDestroyed

Accident

08/05/2008

LAX08PA259


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NTSB ID:

Occurrence Date:

Occurrence Type:

Date

Wind Direction:

Weather Conditions at Accident Site:

Weather Information (Continued from page 2)

Temperature: C Dew Point:

Wind Speed: Kts. Gusts:

Administration Data

Notification From

C

Kts.

Investigator-In-Charge (IIC)FAA District Office/Coordinator

PRELIMINARY INFORMATION - SUBJECT TO CHANGE Page

Washington, D.C., AAI-100Tony James

08/05/2008U.S. Forest Service

James F. Struhsaker

Visual Conditions7

150233

Accident

08/05/2008

LAX08PA259

accident ntsb sirkorsky 5 aug 2008

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