6 Aug 2008: SIKORSKY S-61N — USDA Forest Service

6 Aug 2008: SIKORSKY S-61N (N612AZ) — USDA Forest Service

9 fatalities • Weaverville, CA, United States

Probable cause

The following actions by Carson Helicopters: 1) the intentional understatement of the helicopter's empty weight, 2) the alteration of the power available chart to exaggerate the helicopter's lift capability, and 3) the practice of using unapproved above-minimum specification torque in performance calculations that, collectively, resulted in the pilots relying on performance calculations that significantly overestimated the helicopter's load-carrying capacity and did not provide an adequate performance margin for a successful takeoff; and insufficient oversight by the U.S. Forest Service and the Federal Aviation Administration. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the flight crewmembers to address the fact that the helicopter had approached its maximum performance capability on their two prior departures from the accident site because they were accustomed to operating at the limit of the helicopter’s performance. Contributing to the fatalities were the immediate, intense fire that resulted from the spillage of fuel upon impact from the fuel tanks that were not crash resistant, the separation from the floor of the cabin seats that were not crash resistant, and the use of an inappropriate release mechanism on the cabin seat restraints.

— NTSB Determination

Accident narrative

The Safety Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/A_Acc1.htm. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-10-06.

On August 5, 2008, about 1941 Pacific daylight time, a Sikorsky S-61N helicopter, N612AZ, 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.

Contributing factors

  • Related operating info
  • Related operating info
  • Operator
  • Pilot
  • FAA/Regulator
  • Other government
  • Flight crew
  • Design
  • Design
  • Fluid condition
  • Availability of related info
  • Not installed/available

Conditions

Weather
VMC, wind 150/07kt, vis 10sm

Related events

Same aircraft

  • 10 Jan 2025 — SIKORSKY S-61N (CONSTRUCTION HELICOPTERS INC)
  • 1 Sep 2022 — SIKORSKY S-61N (Croman Corporation)
  • 22 Feb 2022 — SIKORSKY S-61N (CROMAN CORP)
  • 19 Jul 2008 — Sikorsky S-61N (Aeromaster)
  • 19 Nov 1997 — Sikorsky S-61N (Bristow Helicopters)

Same operator

  • 13 Oct 2016 — SHORT BROS SD3 60 SHERPA SHERPA VAR (USDA Forest Service)
  • 21 Jul 2009 — BELL 212 (USDA Forest Service)

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