# Accident 20000803013649A: Bell 206L1, Montello, NV, August 3, 2000 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 3, 2000, 18:55 local time - Place: Montello, NV - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: To Vertical (Helicopter Only) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 41.2203° N, 114.2291° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.2203&lon=-114.2291&mi=10 - Aircraft: N10864, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N10864-2018-01-09) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 (registry code 1182107, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-206l-1) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Allison 250 SER 317HP (registry code 03011, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-ser-317hp) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL 206L1 - Reported engine: ALLSN 250C30P - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Pilot flight hours: 9,854 total, 1,600 in this make and model, 152 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00GA286](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00GA286) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000803013649A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) ON AUGUST 8, 2000 AT APPROX. 2200 LOCAL, HELI N10864 CRASHED ON TAKE-OFF FATALLY INJURING ONE PASSENGER AND SERIOUSLY INJURING THE OTHER. THE HELI WAS IN A 2-3 FOOT HOVER, ON TAKE-OFF, WHEN IT SUDDENLY ROLLED TO THE RIGHT. THE ROTOR BLADES STUCK THE GROUND THEN CAME AROUND AND STRUCK THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE. THE HELI ROLLED 360 DEGREES AND CAME TO REST ON THE SKIDS APPROX 50 FEET FROM THE AREA IT WAS HOVERING OVER. THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. (.4) DURING TAKEOFF, PRIOR TO TRANSITIONING TO FORWARD FLIGHT, THE HELICOPTER ROLLED VIOLENTLY TO THE RIGHT ONE COMPLETE REVOLUTION, IMPACTING THE GROUND INVERTED AND THEN COMING TO REST UPRIGHT ON ITS SKIDS. A PASSENGER IN THE LEFT, FRONT SEAT, RESTRAINED BY A LAP BELT AND PARTIALLY RESTRAINED BY A SHOULDER BELT THAT SEPARATED UNDER LOAD, WAS STRUCK ON THE HELMET AND LEFT SHOULDER BY A MAIN ROTOR BLADE THAT SWEPT ALONG THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HELICOPTER AND WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. A PASSENGER IN THE LEFT REAR SEAT, WITH A LAP BELT BUT WITHOUT A SHOULDER RESTRAINT AVAILABLE, WAS PARTIALLY EJECTED FROM THE HELICOPTER AND WAS STRUCK BY THE PASSING MAIN ROTOR BLADE AND FATA LLY INJURED. SIX WITNESSES AND THE PILOT REPORTED THE HELICOPTER WAS HOVERING AT BETWEEN 2 AND 5 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND BEFORE THE ROLL ENSUED. IN THE 2-HOUR PERIOD BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, A THUNDERSTORM PASSED WEST OF THE ACCIDENT LOCATION AND THERE WAS A WINDSTORM AT THE ACCIDENT LOCATION ESTIMATED TO HAVE BEEN 50 - 60 KNOTS. THE MAIN AND TAIL ROTOR BLADES WERE SECURED DURING THE WINDSTORM. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE WIND WAS STEADY ON THE NOSE OF THE HELICOPTER AT 5 - 10 KNOTS. NONE OF THE WITNESSES REPORTED OBSERVING ANY DUST DEVILS OR UNSTEADY WIND. THE GROUND SURFACE NEAR THE INITIAL HOVER LOCATION, WHERE MARKS MAY HAVE BEEN PRESENT, WAS OBSCURED BY EMERGENCY VEHICLE MOVEMENT AND RAIN THAT FELL AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND PRIOR TO THE INVESTIGATOR'S ARRIVAL ON-SCENE. THE INVESTIGATION AND LABORATORY EXAMINATION OF FRACTURE SURFACES DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF PREACCIDENT MECHANICAL FAILURES. ## 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 LAX00GA286](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00GA286), Aug 4, 2000: Bell 206L-1 (N10864), Montello, NV, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The loss of control in hovering flight and impact with terrain for undetermined reasons. ## Other reports on N10864 (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19821102069599I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19821102069599I), Nov 2, 1982: Bell 206L1 (N10864), Friendswood, TX, Minor damage. Landing too close, drifted near parked Cessna 310. A skid lifted the wing of the Cessna 3 feet before disengaging. 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.