Bell 206B N376KA

Summary

On 6 April 1983 at about 14:15 local time, a Bell 206B registered N376KA was involved in an accident near Stony River, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

6 April 1983 at 14:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Stony River, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.1999, -158.5992

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N376KA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC83FA066

1 person was seriously injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT WAS ON AN EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATION WITH A 100 FT LONG LINE. THE LONG LINE HAD 4 REMOTE HOOKS, OF WHICH, 3 HAD CABLE BAGS ATTACHED. WHILE WAITING FOR THE 4TH BAG TO BE FILLED, HE DECIDED TO LAND IN AN OPEN AREA. HE SET THE EXTERNAL LOAD DOWN & LAID THE LONG LINE OUT OVER THE GROUND, 'LANDING THE HELICOPTER WHEN THE LONG LINE WAS NEARLY EXTENDED AWAY FROM THE LOAD.' WHEN THE 4TH BAG WAS READY TO BE SLUNG OUT, HE LIFTED OFF IN WINDS THAT WERE GUSTING TO 15 KTS. AT A HEIGHT OF ABOUT 40 FT, HE MADE A LEFT, RUDDER TURN (X-WIND) TO BETTER OBSERVE HIS LONG LINE. HE REALIZED THAT HE WAS DRIFTING DOWNWIND AT ABOUT THE TIME HE THOUGHT HE DETECTED A POWER SURGE. HE DIRECTED HIS ATTENTION TO THE ENG INSTRUMENTS. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ON ITS LEFT SIDE & CRASHED. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE WAS MADE, BUT NO MECHANCIAL PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.