Bell 214B-1 N314RM
6 March 1992 · Hobart Bay, Alaska, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 6 March 1992 at about 15:30 local time, a Bell 214B-1 registered N314RM, operated by Rocky Mountain Aerologging Inc, was involved in an accident near Hobart Bay, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 15:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Hobart Bay, Alaska, United States
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Bell 214B-1
- Registration
- N314RM
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Rocky Mountain Aerologging Inc
- Operating rule
- Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC92FA044
People
2 people were seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE COMPRESSOR ASSEMBLY IMPELLER, AND INADEQUATE QUALITY CONTROL BY THE MANUFACTURER. A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY TERRAIN.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE HELICOPTER WAS HOVERING APPROX 200 FT ABOVE THE LOG WHICH WAS BEING ATTACHED TO THE CARGO HOOK. THE PILOTS HEARD A LOUD BANG FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE HELICOPTER AUTOROTATED INTO STEEP UNEVEN TERRAIN, THE ONLY AREA AVAILABLE. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE CENTRIFUGAL IMPELLER ENCOMPASSING A 60 DEG ARC. THIS SECTION SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE AND HELICOPTER. ANALYSIS OF THE IMPELLER SHOWED THAT THE COOLING HOLES, ASSOCIATED ONLY WITH THE T5508D ENGINE, DID NOT HAVE THE PRESCRIBED RADIUS, AND CRACKS WERE FOUND EMANATING FROM THE OTHER COOLING HOLES. THE ENGINE RECORDS SHOW THAT THE IMPELLER HAD 5592.0 CYCLES WHEN INSTALLED IN THIS ENGINE IN APRIL 1991. THE COMPONENT SERVICE LIFE LIMIT OF THE IMPELLER IS 16,600 CYCLES.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bell 214 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Feb 1992 | Bell 214B-1 | Hobart Bay, Alaska, United States | RMH Aerologging | Fatal | 6 |
| 17 May 1989 | Bell 214B-1 | Ketchikan, Alaska, United States | Rocky Mountain Helicopters | Serious injuries | - |
| 4 Nov 1988 | Bell 214B-1 | Ketchikan, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Jun 1985 | Bell 214B-1 | Squaw Valley, California, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 2 Oct 1999 | Bell 214ST | Dhahran, Saudi Arabia | Aramco Aviation Department | Fatal | 12 |
| 29 Feb 2000 | Bell 214ST | Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia | Aramco | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Feb 1992 | Piper PA-18A-150 | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | John Clark | Minor injuries | - |
| 12 Feb 1992 | Richard C Ballow KITFOX 1 | Valdez, Alaska, United States | Jones, William Marshall | No injuries | - |
| 17 Feb 1992 | Aeronca 7AC | Sitka, Alaska, United States | Diment, Archie G. | No injuries | - |
| 9 Oct 1992 | Champion 7EC | Chugiak, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 14 Feb 1992 | Cessna 180 | Shishmaref, Alaska, United States | Sheldon, Robert J. | Serious injuries | - |
| 19 Feb 1992 | Cessna 185F | Pelican, Alaska, United States | Bellair, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |