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Atlas / NTSB / LAX82FA061

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event LAX82FA061

1982-01-27 LAGUNITAS, California, United States Fatal 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

HELICOPTER CRASHED INTO A RESERVOIR AND SANK IN 60 FEET OF WATER AFTER TAIL BOOM SEPARATED DURING A LOG SLINGING OPERATION. THE PILOT HAD LIFTED AND BEGAN TO BACK UP WHEN A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE TAIL SEPARATED. THE LOG WAS RELEASED AND AN AUTO-ROTATION WAS INITIATED. THE AIRCRAFT SANK UPON WATER CONTACT. EXTENSIVE FATIGUE CRACKING IN THE SKIN, AND FRETTING AND LOOSE RIVETS IN THE TAILBOOM WERE FOUND. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1982_LAX82FA061.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.