Helio H-295 N295BA

Summary

On 1 October 2007 at about 01:20 local time, a Helio H-295 registered N295BA was involved in an accident near King Salmon, Alaska, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 October 2007 at 01:20

Classification

Accident

Location

King Salmon, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

60.6609, -150.9000

Aircraft

Helio H-295

Registration

N295BA

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

King Salmon → King Salmon

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC07FA109

4 people died.

A corrosion-induced fatigue fracture of the airplane's left wing to fuselage attachment cap fitting, which resulted in a partial separation of the left wing, and an uncontrolled descent.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The float-equipped airplane was transporting sport-fishing clients returning to a lodge from a remote fishing site. The pilot contacted lodge personnel while en route, and estimated his arrival time in about 3 minutes. When the airplane failed to arrive, an aerial search discovered the wreckage about 10 miles from the lodge, along the anticipated flight route. The NTSB's investigation revealed evidence that the airplane's lower left wing to fuselage attachment cap fitting had failed in flight, which resulted in the airplane's uncontrolled descent. The deformation at the upper forward and aft wing attachment points suggested that the airplane's left wing, in part, had failed in flight, but did not completely separate from the airplane. A subsequent metallurgical examination revealed that the fractured wing to fuselage attachment cap fitting displayed evidence of fatigue cracking, which emanated from areas of corrosion pitting. A Safety Board metallurgist noted that the corrosion pitting was located in the interior portion of the pin/bolt hole, where a large bore pin/bolt resides when the wing is attached to the fuselage, which is not visible when the bolt/pin is installed. The metallurgist also noted that there was corrosion on the forward and aft faces of the fitting that would have been visible. Other than the corrosion pitting on the attachment cap fittings and pins/bolts, no metallurgical anomalies were discovered. On September 9, 2008, the FAA issued a special airworthiness information bulletin (SAIB CE-08-47) recommending a visual inspection for evidence of corrosion, cracking, and other damage on the spar fittings, attachment bolts and related structure, to preclude a structural in-flight failure of the wings.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.