National Transportation Safety Board Aircraft Accident Report: Crash During Takeoff of Carson Helicopters, Inc., Firefighting Helicopter Under Contract to the U.S. Forest Service, Sikorsky S-61N, N612AZ, Near Weaverville, California, on August 5, 2008

摘要

This accident summary report discusses the August 5, 2008, accident involving a Sikorsky S-61N helicopter, N612AZ, which impacted trees and terrain during the initial climb after takeoff from Helispot 44 (H-44), located at an elevation of about 6,000 feet in mountainous terrain near Weaverville, California. The pilot-in-command, the safety crewmember, and seven firefighters were fatally injured; the copilot and three firefighters were seriously injured. Impact forces and a postcrash fire destroyed the helicopter, which was being operated by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) as a public flight to transport firefighters from H-44 to another helispot. The USFS had contracted with Carson Helicopters, Inc. (CHI), of Grants Pass, Oregon, for the services of the helicopter, which was registered to CHI and leased to Carson Helicopter Services, Inc. of Grants Pass. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a company visual flight rules flight plan had been filed. The safety issues discussed in this report involve the accuracy of hover performance charts, USFS and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) oversight, flight crew performance, accident survivability, weather observations at helispots, fuel contamination, flight recorder requirements, and certification of seat supplemental type certificates. Safety recommendations concerning these issues are addressed to the FAA and the USFS.