Accident Overview
On July 21, 2009, at 1010 Pacific daylight time, a helitack firefighter was killed during an uncontrolled descent while rappelling from a Bell 212 helicopter, registration N212HP, near Willow Creek, California. The helicopter was operated by Heli-1 Corporation under contract to the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, as a visual flight rules public use flight supporting firefighting efforts. The airline transport pilot, spotter, and three remaining rappellers were uninjured. The helicopter was not damaged. The flight originated from a helibase at Willow Creek at 1004; no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
Equipment and Preparation
The flight's purpose was proficiency rappel training, required every 14 days for helitack crew members not conducting operational rappel assignments. The rappelling equipment consisted of a harness, Tri-link, J-hook, O-ring/Kong clip, and Sky Genie descent control device connected to a 1/2-inch diameter, 250-foot braided nylon rope. Normally, the harness attaches to the Tri-link, which mechanically links to the J-hook, clipped to the Sky Genie and rope. A Kong clip or O-ring centers the J-hook at the Tri-link apex to avoid side loading.
Prior to the operation, a equipment check revealed a broken Kong clip on the Tri-link/J-hook interface of the accident rappeller (R-2). The clip was replaced with a rubber O-ring, an authorized substitution, and R-2 returned to the helicopter.
Descent and Investigation
Approximately six minutes later, with the helicopter hovering at 225–250 feet, R-2 connected his J-hook to the Sky Genie. Witnesses on the ground saw R-2 transition to the port side skid and then fall down the rope at excessive speed.
Post-accident examination by US Forest Service investigators found R-2's J-hook still attached to the Sky Genie, but not mechanically attached to the Tri-link and harness. A broken O-ring was found about 30 feet from the harness assembly, believed to be the one attached to R-2's Tri-link.
Examination of the J-hook, Sky Genie, Tri-link, and harness revealed no evidence of malfunction or defect. Investigators noted that the Tri-link and J-hook were only held in place by the rubber O-ring and were not mechanically linked before exit. The equipment had been checked by the rappeller and spotter prior to the accident.
Findings
No mechanical malfunction or failure of the helicopter or rappelling equipment was reported. The helicopter sustained no damage.