# Accident 19990617007179A: Bell 206B3, Erwinna, PA, June 17, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: June 17, 1999, 10:00 local time - Place: Erwinna, PA - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Low Level Operations - Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137) - Operator: NDBG - Location: 40.4308° N, 75.1006° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4308&lon=-75.1006&mi=10 - Aircraft: N94WF, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N94WF-2011-05-14) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Bell 206B-III (registry code 1181506, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b-iii) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Allison 250-C20 series (registry code 03020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL 206B3 - Reported engine: ALLSN 250C20B - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 10,000 total, 160 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC99LA147](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99LA147) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990617007179A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. 1979 BELL 206B-III HELICOPTER WAS INVOLVED IN AERIAL APPLICATION OVER THE DELAWARE RIVER AND WAS FLYING LOW OVER THE RIVER WHEN THE SKIDS CONTACTED THE WATER, THE NOSE OF THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY DIPPED INTO THE WATER, AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES THEN STRUCK THE WATER, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (FROM .19) ON JUNE 17, 1999, ABOUT 1012 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 206B-III, N94WF, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A COLLISION WITH WATER AT TINICUM, PENNSYLVANIA. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED FROM ERWINNA, PENNSYLVANIA. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 137. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE DEPARTED FROM "LANDING ZONE 5," AN OPEN FIELD ADJACENT TO THE DELAWARE RIVER. HE INTENDED TO PERFORM AERIAL APPLICATION FOR 20 MINUTES, AND RETURN TO THE LANDING ZONE. HE STATED THAT WHILE SPRAYING FOR BLACKFLY OVER THE DELAWARE RIVER, HIS ATTENTION WAS MOMENTARILY DIVERTED, AS HE WAS LOOKING AT A FLOW GAUGE INSIDE THE COCKPIT. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT HE FLEW TOO LOW, CAUSING THE SKIDS TO CONTACT THE WATER. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SUBSEQUENTLY STRUCK THE WATER, AND THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS SIDE, IN APPROXIMATELY 3 FEET OF WATER, ABOUT 2 TO 3 MILES FROM THE LANDING ZONE. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE BY A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS, NOR DID THE PILOT REPORT ANY. (-23) PILOT LOOKED INSIDE THE COCKPIT TO CHECK A FLOW METER AT WHICH TIME A SKID CONTACTED THE WATER. (.4) THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING AERIAL APPLICATION OVER THE DELAWARE RIVER. HE STATED THAT HIS ATTENTION WAS MOMENTARILY DIVERTED, AS HE WAS LOOKING AT A FLOW GAUGE INSIDE THE COCKPIT. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT HE FLEW TOO LOW, CAUSING THE SKIDS TO CONTACT THE WATER. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SUBSEQUENTLY STRUCK THE WATER, AND THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST IN THE RIVER. ## 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 NYC99LA147](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99LA147), Jun 17, 1999: Bell 206B-III (N94WF), Tinicum, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain a proper altitude above the water. 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.