# Accident 19970925028999A: Bell 206B, Anahuac, TX, September 25, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 25, 1997, 13:30 local time
- Place: Anahuac, TX
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: To Vertical (Helicopter Only)
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: GURL
- Location: 29.7597° N, 94.6698° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.7597&lon=-94.6698&mi=10
- Aircraft: N59396, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N59396-2006-11-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 206B (registry code 1181511, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250 SER 400HP (registry code 03013, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-ser-400hp) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206B
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C20B
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 12,525 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW97LA364](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA364) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970925028999A

## Narrative

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

PILOT REPORTED COLLECTIVE AND CYCLIC PROBLEMS AFTER PICKING UP SLING LOAD. LOST CONTROL. NO ANOMALIES FOUND. (.4) THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED IN A MARSHY AREA AT A HIGH RATE OF DESCENT WITH VERY LOW FORWARD SPEED APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET WEST OF HIS WATER PICK UP POINT. HE HELICOPTER WAS PERFORMING SLING LOAD OPERATIONS TRANSPORTING WATER IN A 100 GALLON BAMBI BUCKET SUSPENDED BY A 100 FOOT LONG LINE. THERE WERE NO REPORTED EYEWITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT. A GROUND IMPRESSION CORRESPONDING TO THE WATER BUCKET WAS FOUND APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET TO THE WEST OF THE RESTING PLACE OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THE 3 TO 5 FOOT TALL GRASS ON THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE HOLE MADE BY THE WATER BUCKET WAS FOUND PUSHED OR LAID BACK IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION. DEEP IMPRESSIONS CORRESPONDING TO THE STEEL CABLE BEING UTILIZED IN CONJUCTION WITH THE EXTERNAL LOAD WERE FOUND AFT OF THE TOE FOR THE LEFT SKID TUBE, AT THE ATTACHING POINT WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE CROSSTUBE. NO SIMILAR IMPRESSIONS WERE FOUND ON THE OTHER SKID OR CROSSTUBE ASSEMBLIES. NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND WITHIN THE HELICOPTER OR RELATED COMPONENTS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT HAD ACCUMULATED A TOTAL OF 4 HOURS OPERATING WITH A 100 FOOT SLING. (-23) SEE NARRATIVE # FTW97LA364

## 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 FTW97LA364](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA364), Sep 25, 1997: Bell 206B2 (N59396), Anahuac, TX, destroyed. Probable cause: the pilot's inability to maintain control of the helicopter after encountering a dynamic rollover due to entanglement of the external load cable with the left landing gear skid.

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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