Kaman HH-43F accident near Metaline Falls, WA
On August 18, 2006, a Kaman HH-43F (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Metaline Falls, WA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- August 18, 2006
- Place
- Metaline Falls, WA
- Aircraft
- Kaman HH-43F · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 48.827°N, 117.297°W
- NTSB ID
- 20060824X01238
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 18, 2006, approximately 1600 Pacific daylight time, a Kaman HH-43F helicopter, N559D, was destroyed following a loss of control and impact with a log pile about 5 nautical miles southeast of Metaline Falls, Idaho. The helicopter was registered to a private individual and operated by Horizon Helicopters of Laclede, Idaho. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the aircraft, sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the logging operation, which was conducted in accordance with 14 CFR Part 133, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight departed from the accident/staging site approximately 1530. A ground crewman who witnessed the accident and was working at the accident site reported that the pilot was in the process of dropping logs on a log pile from an altitude of between 150 feet to 200 feet above the ground when he heard an explosion. The ground crewman further reported that he "...observed fragments of blades going everywhere. [I] turned to the helicopter [and] it was coming down nose first before impacting the log deck." A second witness to the accident reported hearing a loud noise and "...observing the top blown off and debris go everywhere before seeing the helicopter drop." On August 19, 2006, the wreckage was recovered from the accident site and transported to the operator's facility in Laclede, Idaho, where a detailed examination would be conducted at a later date. PERSONNEL INFORMATION A review of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airman and Medical Records databases disclosed that the pilot held
Probable cause
The failure of the left-hand cross-shaft input internal spline while the helicopter was in a hover, which resulted in the loss of gear box timing, in-flight blade contact and separation, and the subsequent loss of control and impact with a log deck.
More accidents in WA
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Browse: Washington
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
