# Accident 19990310002139A: Bell 206B, Delhi, CA, March 10, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 10, 1999, 11:00 local time - Place: Delhi, CA - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Low Level Operations - Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137) - Operator: PWFG - Location: 37.4196° N, 120.7708° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.4196&lon=-120.7708&mi=10 - Aircraft: N901CA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N901CA-2016-09-07) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Bell 206B (registry code 1181511, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (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 LAX99LA116](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA116) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990310002139A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. 1974 BELL 206B HELICOPTER CRASHED WHILE LANDING DURING AERIAL APPLICATION PROCEDURES, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON MARCH 10, ABOUT 1055 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A BELL 206B, N901CA, OPERATED BY BETTENCOURT FLYING SERVICE, COLLIDED WITH TREES NEAR DELHI, CALIFORNIA, WHILE PERFORMING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT UNDER 14 CFR PART 137. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT RECEIVED A MINOR INJURY. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE LOCAL AREA FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM DELHI ABOUT 0845. THE REPORTED THAT SECONDS PRIOR TO THE MISHAP, NO COCKPIT ANNUNCIATOR LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATING, NO UNUSUAL VIBRATIONS WERE FELT, FUEL WAS IN THE TANK, AND THE ENGINE POWER WAS ABOUT 100 PERCENT. AFTER SPRAYING A FIELD, THE PILOT WAS RETURNING TO THE HELISPOT TO RELOAD WHEN HE FLEW PAST 30-FOOT-TALL ALMOND TREES AND 10-FOOT-TALL OLEANDER BUSHES AT A LOW ALTITUDE. IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN YAWING AND CONTROL WAS LOST. THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THAT HE BELIEVES A SPRAY BOOM MAY HAVE CLIPPED THE VEGETATION. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE LOCAL WIND CONDITION WAS DESCRIBED BY BOTH THE PILOT AND A GROUND WITNESS AS BEING LIGHT AND VARIABLE. THE PILOT DID NOT ASSERT THAT ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS PRECIPITATED THE ACCIDENT. (-23)PILOT WAS APPROACHING LOADING PAD DURING AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS WHEN HE LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER. THE LEFT BOOM CONTACTED THE GROUND, A CURB AND BUSHES BEFORE DEPARTING THE HELICOPTER. THE HELICOPTER CONTACTED A TREE, THE TAIL ROTOR AND STINGER CONTACTED THE GROUND, THEN THE HELICOPTER TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET BEFORE CONTACTING ANOTHER TREE AND IMPACTING THE GROUND ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE PILOT STATED THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THERE WAS BI FIRE. WEATHER REPORTED BY THE PILOT WAS CALM WIND WITH HIGH OVERCAST. WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR INTHE ACCIDENT. ## 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 LAX99LA116](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA116), Mar 10, 1999: Bell 206B (N901CA), Delhi, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance while landing in proximity to high vegetation, which resulted in the inadvertent contact of the spray boom to the trees. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.