Helio H-295 accident near Clear, Alaska, March 3, 2001
On March 3, 2001 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Helio H-295, registered N42DC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clear, Alaska. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The shifting of engine connecting rod bearings, and the fracture of an engine connecting rod.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 2001 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Clear, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Helio H-295 · all H-295s on the register
- Registration
- N42DC · no longer on the register · serial 1454
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated airline transport pilot reported that while in level, cruise flight, the engine began to run rough and lose power. The pilot said that while performing the engine emergency procedures, he smelled smoke in the cabin, and noted a substantial amount of engine oil on the windscreen. The airplane collided with trees during a subsequent forced landing. A postaccident investigation revealed that the number two connecting rod had sustained a complete fracture. The number 2 connecting rod journal displayed significant amount of heat induced bluing. The fractured connecting rod, main journal bearing shells (7 halves), and rod bearing shells (7 halves) were sent to the NTSB's Materials Laboratory for examination. A Senior Safety Board metallurgist reported that the separated connecting rod displayed evidence of low cycle, high stress fatigue cracking. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) examination of the rod bearing shells disclosed pitting, with irregular-shape metal particles embedded on the surface of the bearing material. The area around the pits showed evidence of metallic flow from the pits.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,800 hours in all; 5,500 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 18,300 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 31, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,519 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 15, 2000; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming GO-480-G1D6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Z90 Stampede AK at 4:45 pm
- Destination: FAI Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 5°F (-15°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N42DC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.