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Zero Accidents Attributable to Forest Service This Year
The following information relates to Vendors with Forest Service contracts
For the purpose of lessons learned.
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Changes in Investigations
and Reporting
Public Use Vs Civil – Operational Control
Determined by NTSB
Time lines will be longer, Causal Factors
determined by NTSB
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Information Sharing 49 CFR Ch VIII
813.13
(b)
• NTSB states that “Parties to the investigation
may relay to their respective organizations
information necessary for purposes of
prevention or remedial action. However, no
information concerning the accident or
incident may be released to any person not a
party representative to the investigation
before initial release by the Safety Board
without prior consultation and approval.
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The NTSB has not finalized or determined
probable cause for all of the accidents at
this time.
This is preliminary information, subject to
change, and may contain errors. Any errors
will be corrected when the final report has
been completed.
The information is for accident prevention
purposes only.
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On January 17, 2012, the Forest Service
officially attained the Gold Standard
Status among Federal Aviation Operators
for meeting best aviation safety
practices.
Analysis of this event resulted in the
following lessons learned:
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First time in the history of FS aviation
organization, we experienced a zero
accident year in 2011.
Accident s determined charged to unit in
“Operational Control” by NTSB
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Dedicated Employees working over the
past five years to develop and implement
Safety Management Systems.
Focus on risk assessment and safety
assurance.
Contract requirements for the operators
to adopt SMS based safety programs.
Oversight that assures high quality
standards.
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Bell 205 A Kern County California Tehachapi, California
September 4, 2011 Injuries: None
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Forest Service Exclusive use contracted aircraft
Aircraft was supporting Kern County firefighting efforts on the Canyon Fire (Non-FS Operation)
On Sept 4, 2011, at approximately 1445 hours, N205WW (H 522), a Bell 205A, sustained substantial damage when the pilot attempted to execute an emergency landing due to an in-flight malfunction. The downwind landing was hard, spreading the skids and causing significant damage.
9
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Air attack was over the fire and providing
aerial supervision
The mission was to provide structure
protection and spot fire suppression
approximately 3 miles South of Mountain
Valley airport (L94)
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Another type 2 and a type 1 helitanker
were also operating in the immediate
area under control of Kern County Fire.
H-522 was operating with a Bambi Bucket
hooked directly to the cargo hook.
The aircraft was on approach for a water
drop.
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12
With the aircraft at 100 feet AGL and 10
KTS over the drop spot, the pilot heard a
low RPM horn, and then noticed an
illuminated caution light.
He jettisoned the load and executed a left
pedal turn to exit the canyon and move
away from the fire.
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The pilot checked his
Rotor/Engine RPM
gauge and noticed
the needles were
split, with rotor rpm
at the 4-5 o’clock
position and engine
rpm at 6 o’clock.
13
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The pilot interpreted indications to be the result of a governor failure.
The pilot spotted and
maneuvered toward an area suitable for an emergency landing.
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15
The pilot commenced manual governor
procedures.
As he pulled collective, he felt rotor RPM
decrease and noticed the gauge
indicating 90% NR.
At approximately 200-300’ and losing
both altitude and rotor RPM, he lowered
the collective, establishing an
autorotation into the LZ.
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Location of Jettisoned Bambi Bucket
Accident Landing Zone
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Damage :
• Landing skids
• minor damage to sheet metal around the landing skid cross tube mounts
• Damage to aft tail boom section.
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Tail stinger was bent
upward
Greenhouse plexi-
glass section over the
left side pilot cockpit
broken.
RH tail boom near tail skid
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Chin bubble
mounted mirror bar
bent and lower wire
cutter assembly was
partially separated
Lower rotating
beacon was
separated.
Bent mirror bar and lower wire cutter
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20
Pilot in Command has total PIC time - 8785 hours and 915 hours time in model.
Completed Emergency Procedure Training on 5/10/11.
Pilot who landed in accident LZ after accident occurred, needed 46 lbs torque (max 52 lbs) to land, indicating strong tail wind.
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21
Pilot had 400 ft to troubleshoot and select proper course of action.
Once determined, pilot followed procedure for failed governor yet failed to adequately restore rotor RPM.
Tear-down revealed a failure in the Engine N2 Tachometer Generator shaft (Engine RPM indicator system).
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Pilot Jettisoned load when situation got bad.
Pilot diagnosed situation, developed a plan and stuck to it.
Altitude limited time for pilot to troubleshoot problem.
A hard landing in an open area is better than uncontrolled crash in trees.
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Eurocopter AS 350-BA N230 CH
Juneau, Alaska September 26, 2011
Injuries: None
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Aircraft landing on Ridge to pick up 2 Forest Sciences Lab personnel working on a weather station nearby.
Helicopter manager on-board.
NTSB has categorized the accident as a part 135 operation, not public use.
Same aircraft/crew landed in accident LZ approx 3 hours prior to drop off scientists.
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About 1230, the aircraft landed on top of
ridge at an elevation of about 3100 ft.
Pilot locked collective and set engine to
flight idle for 2 minute cool-down.
About 30 to 90 seconds into cool-down,
pilot noted vegetation down-slope and to
his right being buffeted by wind.
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A strong gust of wind lifted the helicopter about 5 feet and rolled it onto its left side.
When motion stopped, the pilot secured the
engine and both crew exited the right side door.
The manager called dispatch and a helicopter was sent to pick up the crew and passengers.
The crew was taken to hospital for medical evaluation and released.
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The mission utilized a Project Aviation Safety Plan.
Pilot landed N/NE into perceived prevailing wind.
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There was a forecast for prevailing wind
shift from S to N and associated
turbulence the hour before and during
the accident.
Recorded gusts in the area at 22 mph
from the East.
LZ was along a ridge line with steeply
sloping terrain dropping off toward the
East.
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The LZ was south
of considerably
higher rugged
terrain.
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Incidents With Potential
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PSD operations in support of the
Horseshoe 2 incident, burning out fuels
around a mobile repeater site.
The crew consisted of the pilot, burn
boss, and the PSD operator/helicopter
manager.
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After lighting the area around the repeater site, the flight moved to check an area where ground crews were going to burn out around several structures.
The flight was on scene about 35 minutes before heading back towards the repeater site to evaluate the progress of the burnout.
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Smoke was becoming worse and the
crew decided to fly under the smoke
column.
The pilot descended to about 125 – 150 ft
AGL and 40 knots.
Due to degraded visibility the pilot
turned back, slowing the aircraft and
making a right 180 degree turn.
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The aircraft encountered an un-contolled
right yaw while making the turn in the
drainage along Forest Service Road 42.
The aircraft encountered three 360 degree
spins before the pilot was able to arrest the
yaw rate, 50 ft above the tree-line.
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Helicopter
path
winds
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The crew concluded that everyone was
ok and that there were no mechanical
problems and everyone agreed to
continue flying.
After about15 or 20 minutes, the crew felt
that winds and turbulence was starting to
exceed their comfort level and the flight
returned to the heli-base.
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The pilot was highly qualified in type aircraft and has participated in teaching High Altitude Flying.
Helicopter was operating in the vicinity of the FS 42 road under the influence of right quartering tail wind .
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Aircraft was operating in Mountainous
terrain at approximately 5000 ft MSL.
Winds were 20 to 30 knots. Temp: 96 F
Aircraft was heavy but within satisfactory
limits.
Aircraft flying as slow airspeed
After PSD operations, the crew continued
operating as a reconnaissance platform.
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FAA advisory circular
90-95
USFS IASA (safety
alert) 11-03
PSD crew exposed
needlessly in recon
mission.
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The Bell 407 is not normally recognized for LTE.
The pilot never stopped flying the aircraft and had a backup plan.
Even though left turns are preferred for maneuvering at low airspeed and high weight, conditions will not always be conducive to provide that option.
If a right turn is your best direction, compensate by increasing airspeed and or altitude prior to making the right turn.
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June 15, 2011
T-885
Pike/San Isabel National Forest
Region 2, Fremont County Airport
Canon City, Colorado
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Structure protection, dropping fire retardant on Duckett fire.
Aircraft had been operating out of Fremont County airport from 0911 – 1145.
The aircraft was under a DOI National On-Call contract.
Aircraft repositioned to Buena Vista airport due to shortage of retardant at Fremont County.
Aircraft had made last drop and was returning to Fremont County to standby.
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Winds 150 v 210 (AWOS)
Temperature: 92F (AWOS)
Density Altitude 8800’ (AWOS)
Wind Event- Pilot entered the Fremont
County Airport area around 1316, winds
developed to 21 mph with gusts to 40 at
around the same time.
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The pilot) to received the current weather information 12 miles out.
The pilot approached the airport from the
Northwest to enter a downwind to runway 11.
On final approach, the pilot noticed a large “dust devil” or “thermal” crossing the runway and decided to abort the landing attempt and continue heading down runway 11.
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The pilot decided to land on Runway 17.
The pilot flew a high observation pass of
the runway to check wind conditions and
continued to land on runway 17.
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The pilot entered a
left traffic pattern for
runway 17 and, after
crossing runway
threshold, he
encountered a “wind
shear”, causing the
aircraft to suddenly
drop approximately
80 to 100 feet.
17
11
29
N
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The pilot increased power and touched
down about 200’ beyond the approach end of the runway.
On rollout, and, just after crossing taxiway A1, he encountered a left wind shear forcing the aircraft to the right.
He applied rudder, brake and power for additional directional control.
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He applied full take
off power. as the
aircraft drifted right,
departing the runway
in a banked left turn.
The left leading edge
of the wing contacted
a runway marker.
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The impact broke off
the marker and
damaged the leading
edge, lower wing
skin, left aileron and
contacted the left
lower trailing edge
wing tip.
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The pilot
continued into the
air, setting up for
a landing on
runway 29, landing
uneventfully, he
taxied back to the
airtanker base.
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June 24, 2011
Heli-Tanker 719
Coronado National Forest
Region 3, Sierra Vista Arizona
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The aircraft was a CH54, N719HT on a
National Exclusive Use Contract.
They were assisting crews with water
drops on the Monument fire.
The aircraft was coming in for a second
drop on a specific tree.
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Smoke conditions made the drop area
difficult to find.
The aircraft made a 30 knot down canyon
approach for a split drop at 200 feet
(AGL) and around 100 feet above the tree
top.
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Immediately after the
drop, the crew heard
a loud “bang” and
noticed the right side
chin bubble broken.
The PIC jettisoned
the remainder of the
load and returned to
the helibase
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Snorkel hose length was measured at 18 feet 8 inches.
The snorkel pump housing impacted both left main landing gear outboard tire and right side chin bubble.
A witness in the vicinity of the water drop saw the snorkel hose swinging “violently” and stated the hose seemed much more flexible than others he had seen.
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Alignment inputs on final approach to the drop may have created /amplified swinging of the snorkel .
Two variety of hoses, some pilots thought the “white” variety of hose to be “noodley”.
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The potential of the
snorkel hose
impacting other parts
of the aircraft,
including the main
rotor system, exists.
Bottom edge of chin bubble
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May 14 – June 12, 2011
Multiple Aircraft
Region 3, Large Fires
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During a 4 week period from May through June, 2011, large fire activity was occurring along the Arizona and New Mexico border with extensive use of Air-tankers, Heli-tankers, helicopters and coordination aircraft.
Received four reports of airspace conflicts indicating conditions that could lead to a mid-air collision.
One un-reported conflict was discovered during research into one of the reported incidents.
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Horseshoe 2 Fire, a Type-1 heli-tanker and
Type-2 helicopter with long-line had a near
miss with approximately 700 ft separation. • Air attack distracted and overloaded while working
an evacuation of spike camps.
• Mission changed since AM brief.
• Helicopters not aware of each others presence.
• No HELCO.
• One aircraft transitioning N-S while other was E-W,
creating intersection.
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Horseshoe 2 fire – Two conflicts in one
day, Heli-tankers and type-2 Helo
supporting ground firefighters.
Heli-tanker encountered conflict with a
Lead setting up a tanker drop.
Later that afternoon, Heli-tanker came out
of smoke and saw an un-announced ASM
making dry runs through the area he was
working.
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Large numbers of aircraft working the
area with ASM and Lead aircraft.
HELCOs not used.
Emergent missions, with little or no brief
with other aircraft.
Long ATGS transition radio traffic.
Radio traffic extremely heavy, air crew
were turning down certain frequencies
and not hearing warning calls.
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Wallow Fire – Helicopters working out of
the Springerville heli-base entering FTA
without establishing radio contact.
Traffic conflicts were occurring between
these helicopters and air-tankers / lead
planes.
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Heli-base was just outside and North of
the Fire Traffic Area (FTA).
Helicopters were supporting fire activity
South of the FTA, direct flight most
expedient route.
Insufficient time to contact ATGS.
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Area Command was being transported
from one town in the southern part of a
large FTA to a town just inside the
Northern boundary of the same FTA.
The FTA was divided into 3 zones with a
different Air attack for each zone.
Area command aircraft had near miss
with Air Attack in the second zone they
were entering enroute to destination.
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Area Command aircraft took off from Reserve and had radio contact with zone 2 air attack.
Zone 1 air attack was
being relieved and its relief was reconning the area before pass-down.
Zone 1 aircraft was un-aware the Area Command aircraft was entering their zone.
Fire Traffic Area Willow
Zone 2
Zone 1
Reserve
Show Low
60 nm
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High traffic encountered with both Rotor and Fixed wing.
Incidents occurred during the afternoon. Morning missions briefed in controlled
environments with little distraction. Afternoon, emergent missions develop that
miss the opportunity for crews to get clear and complete information.
Radio traffic was generally heavy. Transition radio conversations were tying
up air to air frequency.
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Transition is a particularly vulnerable period until the coordination rhythm is restored.
Critical radio calls not received and position calls were sometimes not made.
Aircraft experiencing incidents involved at least one aircraft that was not in radio communication with the other and was unaware of its location.
Helicopter water operations and fixed wing tanker drops are still set up without “fences” to ensure separation.
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Air Attack crews were experiencing high
workloads resulting in reduced attention to the helicopter coordination.
FTA procedural discipline begins to breakdown as radio traffic becomes intense.
When the FTA is close to a base, aircraft are inside the 7 mile area as soon as they are airborne.
Teams interviewed agreed there was a need for a HELCO when air operations got complex.
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On March 09, 2012 the NTSB released it’s
Probable Cause and Contributing Factor
for this 3 fatality accident (Pilot and 2 FHP
employees were only soles on board)
The aircraft was heading towards William
T. Piper Memorial Airport, near Lock
Haven, PA when the engine failed within
5 miles of the airport.
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Probable Cause: The total loss of engine
power resulting from the fatigue failure of
the engine's number 2 cylinder exhaust
valve. The fatigue failure was due to valve
guide wear that led to excessive
clearance between the valve and valve
guide.
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Contributing Factor: Contributing to the
accident was the contract operator’s lack
of compliance with its own maintenance
procedures, which, if followed, would
have prevented the accident.