19790916040069A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206BELL · Sitka, AK · September 16, 1979

Date
September 16, 1979 · 17:22 local
Place
Sitka, AK
Phase of flight
To Vertical (Helicopter Only)
Operating rules
Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N16877
NTSB investigation
NTSBANC79DA093
Reported as
Bell 206BELL
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
3,428 total582 in this make and model182 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Pilot attempted takeoff from unsuitable terrain. Skid caught tree root & tipped over, causing substantial damage.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF FROM UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. SKID CAUGHT TREE ROOT & TIPPED OVER, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.