Sikorsky S-64E accident near Shelton, Washington, March 2, 1999
On March 2, 1999 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Sikorsky S-64E (helicopter), registered N194AC, was involved in an accident near Shelton, Washington. It was an other work-use flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the victim to follow the procedure that required him to make sure that all choker lines had separated from the helicopter's release mechanism prior to entering the landing (collection area).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 1999 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Shelton, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky S-64E · all S-64Es on the register
- Registration
- N194AC · registry record · serial 64017
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the aero-logging helicopter had lowered a multiple-log load onto the landing site, hit the release switch to release the two choker cables, and then began to move away from the area. One of the choker lines momentarily failed to release, resulting in one end of one of the logs lifting into the air and then falling back to the ground. One of the ground crew members entered the landing area after the logs were initially lowered to the ground, but prior to the release of the second cable. When the end of the log lifted into the air and fell back to the ground, it fell on the crew member, inflicting fatal injuries. It was the opinion of some of the other crew members that the victim never noticed that the second cable had not yet released or that the end of the log was being lifted back into the air. According to Washington Administrative Code, Chapter 296-54, 'Logs shall be laid on the ground and the helicopter will be completely free of the choker()s) before workers approach the logs.'
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 16,800 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,236 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 20, 1999; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 42,000 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W JFTD-12-4A (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 SEA99LA038.