# Accident 19960701015689A: Bell 206B, South Carver, MA, July 1, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 1, 1996, 06:00 local time
- Place: South Carver, MA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Location: 41.8407° N, 70.7467° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of South Carver, MA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.8407&lon=-70.7467&mi=10
- Aircraft: N444JB, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N444JB) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell OH-58A (registry code 1181579, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-oh-58a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20 series (registry code 03020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206B
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC96LA135](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC96LA135) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960701015689A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON AERIAL APPLICATION LOAD BECAME IMBALANCED. LOST CONTROL, MADE UNCONTROLLABEL RIGHT TURN. CRASHED IN A POND. (-23) DURING AERIAL APPLICATION OF FERTILIZER, PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND AN UNCONTROLLABLE RIGHT TURN WAS ENTERED. AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO A POND 1/4 MILE SOUTHEAST OF CRANBERRY BOG THAT WAS BEING FERTILIZED.  LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS CAUSED BY EITHER A LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS OR AN IMBALANCED FERTILIZER LOAD.  HELICOPTER WAS SUBMERGED IN WATER FOR NEARLY NINE HOURS AND THE FERTILIZER MAY HAVE DISSOLVED DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.  MR. SMITH STATED THAT HE HAD REACHED THE LEFT LATERAL LIMITS OF CYCLIC CONTROL TRAVEL AND IT HAD CAUSED THE HELICOPTER TO MOVE DOWNWIND TO THE RIGHT. MR. SMITH STATED THAT HE TRIED TO COUNTERACT THE UNCONTROLLABLE DRIFT TO THE RIGHT BY ADDING FULL LEFT PEDAL. THE HELICOPTER SUBSEQUENTLY BEGAN AN UNCONTROLLABEL TURN TO THE RIGHT.  THE HELICOPTER CRASHED INTO A POND IN AN UPRIGHT ATTITUDE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC96LA135](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC96LA135), Jul 1, 1996: Bell 206B III (N444JB), South Carver, MA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during an aerial application maneuver. This put the helicopter in a low slow down wind, high power demand turn, where it encountered a loss…

## Other reports on N444JB (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20020914024429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020914024429A), Sep 14, 2002: Bell OH58A (N444JB), Rochester, MA, Destroyed, 1 fatal. (-23) Pilot fatal when N444JB, OH-58A piloted by george norman clairmont, engaged in agricultural FAR 133 external load operations crashed while lifting…
- [Incident 19900526028409I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900526028409I), May 26, 1990: Bell 206B (N444JB), East Haven, VT, Minor damage. On external load operation. Entered drop zone. Elected to go around. Rotor blades hit roof of building.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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