NEAR BORNITE, AK, USA
N820Y
HUGHES 369D
TWO WORKERS WERE TRANSPORTED TO A MINE DRILLING SITE WHERE THE HELICOPTER WAS LANDED ON A MAN-MADE HELI-PAD. THE HELI-PAD WAS AN AREA ABOUT 50 FT LONG AND 12 FT WIDE THAT HAD BEEN CUT INTO THE SIDE OF A ROCKY HILL. AFTER OFF-LOADING THE WORKERS, THE PILOT TOOK OFF, THEN RETURNED A SHORT TIME LATER WITH A 300 GAL STORAGE TANK ON A LONG LINE. AFTER THE TANK WAS LOWERED INTO POSITION, THE HELICOPTER WAS LANDED AT THE END OF THE PAD UNTIL THE LINE WAS RELEASED. AS THE PILOT TOOK OFF AGAIN, HE LIFTED OFF AND WAS AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 3 TO 5 FT WHEN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE ROCKY EMBANKMENT ON THE UPSLOPE SIDE OF THE HELI-PAD. REPORTEDLY. THE HELICOPTER THEN WENT INTO AN UNCONTROLLABLE SPIN AND TUMBLED ABOUT 300 FT DOWN THE HILL. ONE OF THE WORKERS WAS FATALLY INJURED BY A PIECE OF FLYING DEBRIS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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