Kaman HH-43 accident near Bonners Ferry, ID
On September 25, 2001, a Kaman HH-43 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Bonners Ferry, ID. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- September 25, 2001
- Place
- Bonners Ferry, ID
- Aircraft
- Kaman HH-43 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 48.751°N, 116.511°W
- NTSB ID
- 20010928X02008
NTSB summary
On September 25, 2001, approximately 1500 Pacific daylight time, a Kaman HH-43 "Huskie" helicopter, N55714, impacted trees while hovering over a logging pick-up site about 12 miles north of Bonners Ferry, Idaho. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, received fatal injuries, and the aircraft, which is owned by Horizon Helicopters and operated by Precision Helicopters, sustained substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 133 long-line aerial logging flight, which had been in the air for about 15 minutes, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. The flight was not being conducted under a filed flight plan. The ELT, which was activated by the accident sequence, was turned off at the scene. According to witnesses, shortly before the accident, a load of logs that was being lifted by the helicopter became snagged in a tree in steep mountainous terrain. The excess load caused by the snagged long-line resulted in the shearing of the bolt that holds the long-line to the helicopter. After the long-line separated from the aircraft, the ground crew advised the pilot what had taken place, and he then hovered over the area for about two minutes. To the witness on the ground, it appeared that the pilot was looking over the situation and trying to determine what had happened and how to address the problem. As the helicopter continued to hover, it appeared that it moved a short distance back and to the right. This put it into a draw "...where the trees were taller than what was on the main slope." Soon thereafter, the ground crew heard the "wop wop" of the rotors striking
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate visual lookout which lead to his failure to maintain clearance from the nearby trees while in a high-hover. Factors include mountainous/hilly terrain, and tall trees in the area where the helicopter was hovering.
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Browse: Idaho
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
