What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On January 5, 1999, at 1400EST, a Bell 206A, N206GR, s/n 613, operated by aviation services unlimited, inc., on a powerline patol along route 31 in the town of britus, new york, traveling east bound approximately 40-45 mph, at approximately 100' AGL experienced high winds which put aircaft into a rapid right rotation. The pilot, Mr. Chester cichon, stated that the aircraft went thru 360 degrees and descended into the trees. He attempted to recover and accelerate into the wind with no avail and started to nose dive. The pilot then looked for the safest spot to land and cut power descendign into the trees, "corkscrewing" down to the ground. The Weedsport fire department, jordan fire department, and cayuga and onodaga sheriff's department responded to the scene. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no IFR flight was filed. The aircraft damage was substantial and there wereno injuries. The flight originated at penn yan, NY, on January 5, 1999, at approximatley 1200 EST.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JANUARY 5, 1999, AT 1400EST, A BELL 206A, N206GR, S/N 613, OPERATED BY AVIATION SERVICES UNLIMITED, INC., ON A POWERLINE PATOL ALONG ROUTE 31 IN THE TOWN OF BRITUS, NEW YORK, TRAVELING EAST BOUND APPROXIMATELY 40-45 MPH, AT APPROXIMATELY 100' AGL EXPERIENCED HIGH WINDS WHICH PUT AIRCAFT INTO A RAPID RIGHT ROTATION. THE PILOT, MR. CHESTER CICHON, STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WENT THRU 360 DEGREES AND DESCENDED INTO THE TREES. HE ATTEMPTED TO RECOVER AND ACCELERATE INTO THE WIND WITH NO AVAIL AND STARTED TO NOSE DIVE. THE PILOT THEN LOOKED FOR THE SAFEST SPOT TO LAND AND CUT POWER DESCENDIGN INTO THE TREES, "CORKSCREWING" DOWN TO THE GROUND. THE WEEDSPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT, JORDAN FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND CAYUGA AND ONODAGA SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO THE SCENE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO IFR FLIGHT WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT DAMAGE WAS SUBSTANTIAL AND THERE WERENO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT PENN YAN, NY, ON JANUARY 5, 1999, AT APPROXIMATLEY 1200 EST.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.