# Accident 19991018029079A: Bell 206B, Soda Springs, CA, October 18, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 18, 1999, 11:22 local time
- Place: Soda Springs, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Aerial Taxi, Other Helicopter
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: IAVA
- Location: 39.3199° N, 120.3996° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.3199&lon=-120.3996&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2296N, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2296N-2003-03-11) (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
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C20J
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 5,400 total, 1,200 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00LA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA016) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991018029079A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON OCTOBER 18, 1999, AT 1122 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL BHT-206-B, N2296N, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ON ITS SIDE AND IMPACTED THE GROUND WHILE HOVER TAXIING TO REPOSITION THE HELICOPTER IN A REMOTE LOCATION 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF SODA SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES.  WESTWIND HELICOPTERS, INC. OPERATED THE HELICOPTER, UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL AREA FLIGHT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR, THE HELICOPTER WAS ENGAGED IN EXTERNAL LOAD TRANSPORT FOR A PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY PROJECT, OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 133.  THE HELICOPTER LANDED, THE EXTERNAL LOAD APPARATUS WAS DISCONNECTED, AND THE PILOT WAS THEN TO REPOSITION THE HELICOPTER A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY.  THE PILOT TOLD THEM THAT, DURING THE HOVER TAXI, THE LANDING GEAR SKID HOOKED ON A ROCK AND A DYNAMIC ROLLOVER RESULTED.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             (-23) DURING REPOSITIONING BETWEEN WORK SITES, THE HELICOPTER HOOKED A SKID ON A LARGE ROCK AND DYNAMNICALLY ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE. (.4)ON OCTOBER 18, 1999, AT 1122 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 206-B3, N2296N, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ON ITS SIDE AND IMPACTED THE GROUND WHILE HOVER TAXIING TO REPOSITION THE HELICOPTER IN A REMOTE LOCATION 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF SODA SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. WESTWIND HELICOPTERS, INC., OPERATED THE HELICOPTER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 133. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL AREA FLIGHT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR, THE HELICOPTER WAS ENGAGED IN EXTERNAL LOAD TRANSPORT FOR A PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY PROJECT, OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 133. AFTER COMPLETING THE EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATION, THE PILOT RELEASED THE EXTERNAL LOAD APPARATUS AND LANDED. BEFORE THE ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN; HOWEVER, A GROUND CREWMAN SIGNALED THE PILOT TO REPOSITION THE HELICOPTER A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY. WHILE LIFTING TO HOVER TAXI, THE LANDING GEAR SKID EITHER STUCK TO THE GROUND OR HOOKED ON AN OBJECT AND THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OV             ER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE.

## 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 LAX00LA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA016), Oct 18, 1999: Bell 206-B3 (N2296N), Soda Springs, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain landing skid clearance during hover taxi, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.

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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