Sikorsky S-61N accident near Weaverville, California, August 6, 2008
On August 6, 2008 at about 2:41 am local time, a Sikorsky S-61N (helicopter), registered N612AZ, was destroyed in an accident during initial climb near Weaverville, California. It was a public-use flight (federal) under public-use (government) rules. 9 people were killed and 4 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The following actions by Carson Helicopters: 1) the intentional understatement of the helicopter's empty weight, 2) the alteration of the power available chart to exaggerate the helicopter's lift capability, and 3) the practice of using unapproved above-minimum specification torque in performance calculations that, collectively, resulted in the pilots relying on performance calculations that significantly overestimated the helicopter's load-carrying capacity and did not provide an adequate performance margin for a successful takeoff; and insufficient oversight by the U.S. Forest Service and the Federal Aviation Administration. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the flight crewmembers to address the fact that the helicopter had approached its maximum performance capability on their two prior departures from the accident site because they were accustomed to operating at the limit of the helicopter’s performance. Contributing to the fatalities were the immediate, intense fire that resulted from the spillage of fuel upon impact from the fuel tanks that were not crash resistant, the separation from the floor of the cabin seats that were not crash resistant, and the use of an inappropriate release mechanism on the cabin seat restraints.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 2008 · about 2:41 am local time
- Place
- Weaverville, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 9 people were killed and 4 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky S-61N · all S-61Ns on the register
- Registration
- N612AZ · registry record
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight (federal) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Safety Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/A_Acc1.htm. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-10-06. On August 5, 2008, about 1941 Pacific daylight time, a Sikorsky S-61N helicopter, N612AZ, impacted trees and terrain during the initial climb after takeoff from Helispot 44 (H-44), located at an elevation of about 6,000 feet in mountainous terrain near Weaverville, California. The pilot-in-command, the safety crewmember, and seven firefighters were fatally injured; the copilot and three firefighters were seriously injured. Impact forces and a postcrash fire destroyed the helicopter, which was being operated by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) as a public flight to transport firefighters from H-44 to another helispot. The USFS had contracted with Carson Helicopters, Inc. (CHI) of Grants Pass, Oregon, for the services of the helicopter, which was registered to CHI and leased to Carson Helicopter Services, Inc. of Grants Pass. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a company visual flight rules flight plan had been filed.
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
What happened, in order
- Aircraft loading event during prior to flight
- Collision during takeoff/land during initial climb defining event
- Fire/smoke (post-impact) during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Loading › (general) › Related operating info
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › (general) › Related operating info
- cause Organizational issues › Management › Culture › Standard operating practices › Operator
- cause Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Knowledge › (general) › Pilot
- cause Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Oversight › Oversight of operation › FAA/Regulator
- cause Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Oversight › Oversight of operation › Other government
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Flight crew
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel storage › Design
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Equipment/furnishings › Flight compartment equipment › Design
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid condition
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › (general) › Availability of related info
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Indicating/recording systems › Data recorders (flight/maint) › Not installed/available
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Flight time: 20,286 hours in all; 8,166 in this make and model
- Injury: fatal
Co-pilot
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: General Electric CT58-140 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric CT58-140 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Weaverville CA at 2:40 am
- Destination: NONE
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from RDD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 8 | 3 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX08PA259.