Posted on: Monday, October 4, 2004

Lack of wreckage hampers inquiry

By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Kaua'i Bureau

LIHU'E, Kaua'i — A National Transportation Safety Board investigator said that an initial review of partial wreckage suggests there are unusual characteristics to the Sept. 24 crash of a tour helicopter, but that more of the aircraft needs to be recovered from the crash site.

"We've looked at what we have, but it's hard to conclude anything without more material," said investigator Nicole Charnon.

One recovered main rotor blade is largely whole, and the parts of the tail assembly that have been recovered do not show the normal damage from a hard impact. But that could be associated with the extreme steepness of the ridge into which the helicopter crashed, Charnon said. She said the hillside at the crash site has a 75-degree slope.

The pilot and all four passengers were killed in the Bali Hai Helicopter Tours crash into a ridgeline between Mount Wai'ale'ale and Mount Kahili. Clouds, rain and strong, gusting wind at the site delayed the recovery of victims' bodies, and also has delayed the recovery of the wreckage.

Crews on Friday removed the heaviest part of the wreckage, including the engine, transmission and part of the tail boom, along with a few other parts. But the skids and entire bottom section of the helicopter, the pilot's controls, one main rotor blade, the tail rotor and other parts are still on the mountain.

Charnon said that if weather conditions permit, the crew hopes to get all or most of those parts today.

It is still not possible to tell whether the helicopter was operating at full power. And both crash damage and fire make it difficult to tell the condition of the engine at the time of the wreck, she said.

The engine will be taken to a manufacturer's repair center on the Mainland, where Charnon will oversee its disassembly and attempt to determine "if it had any anomalies."

Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 245-3074.