# Accident 20000919015919A: Bell 206B, Ojai, CA, September 19, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 19, 2000, 12:35 local time
- Place: Ojai, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Aerial Taxi To Tkof/Rtrcrft
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: IGAA
- Location: 34.5095° N, 119.2898° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.5095&lon=-119.2898&mi=10
- Aircraft: N90214, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N90214-2001-04-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 206B (registry code 1181511, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206B
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C20B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,822 total, 131 in this make and model, 82 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00LA343](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA343) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000919015919A

## Narrative

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

(-23) AFTER LANDING ON A RIDGELINE SITE AT 5000 FEET, OAT 85 DEGREES, AND WINDS 240 AT 5 KNOTS, THE PILOT DECIDED TO REPOSITION THE A/C CLOSER TO THE WORK SITE. THE NEW LANDING SITE WAS UNACCEPTABLE, AND THE PILOT DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE ORIGINAL SITE. AFTER APPLYING TAKEOFF POWER AND LIFTING OFF TO A HOVER, THE A/C DEPARTED DOWNSLOPE. THE NOSE OF THE A/C BEGAN TO YAW RIGHT AND COULD NOT BE STOPPED WITH FULL LEFT PEDAL. THE PILOT REDUCED COLLECTIVE AND CONTINUED DOWNSLOPE. THE NOSE CONTINUED TO YAW RIGHT SO THE PILOT INCREASED COLLECTIVE AND BEGAN TO FOLLOW THE RIGHT YAW. AS THE A/C PASSED DOWNWIND ABEAM THE LANDING SITE THE NOSE TUCKED DOWN AND TAIL SWUNG LEFT. HE REDUCED COLLECTIVE AND CRASH LANDED INTO THE SLOPE BELOW.                 (.4) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2000, ABOUT 1235 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 206BIII, N90214, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TAKEOFF FROM A RIDGELINE NEAR OJAI, CALIFORNIA. ASPEN HELICOPTERS, INC., OPERATED THE HELICOPTER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 135. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED; TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE LOCAL CHARTER FLIGHT DEPARTED OXNARD ABOUT 1110. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAIL ED AND A COMPANY VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE ACCIDENT COORDINATES WERE 34 DEGREES 30.3 MINUTES NORTH LATITUDE AND 119 DEGREES 08.3 MINUTES WEST LONGITUDE. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS FLYING PERSONNEL TO SEVERAL FLOOD CONTROL MONITORING STATIONS. ONE STATION WAS VISITED AND AN EFFORT TO VISIT A SECOND WAS TERMINATED AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS TO LAND WERE MADE. THIS WAS THE THIRD STATION THEY VISITED, AND ITS ELEVATION WAS ABOUT 5,000 FEET. AFTER LANDING TO THE WEST ON A RIDGELINE, THE PILOT DECIDED TO REPOSITION CLOSER TO THE STATION. HE LATER DETERMINED THE WINDS WERE 240 AT 5 KNOTS. HE HOVER TAXIED TO HIS LANDING AREA. AS THE SKIDS TOUCHED DOWN, THE PILOT FELT THE HELICOPTER SLIDE TO THE RIGHT. HE PICKED BACK UP INTO A HOVER AND DECIDED TO FLY BACK TO THE ORIGINAL LANDING SITE. AFTER APPLYING TAKEOFF POWER, HE PUSHED THE NOSE OF THE HELICOPTER OVER AND BEGAN TO FLY AWAY DOWNSLOPE. THE NOSE OF THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO ROTATE TO THE RIGHT, EVEN WITH FULL LEFT PEDAL APPLIED. THE PILOT REDUCED COLLECTIVE AND CONTINUED DOWNSLOPE. AS THE NOSE CONTINUED TO THE RIGHT, HE INCREASED COLLECTIVE, AND BEGAN TO FOLLOW THE RIGHT YAW WITH CYCLIC. HE FLEW THE HELICOPTER TO A DOWNWIND POSITION APPROXIMATELY ABEAM HIS LANDING SITE. THEN THE NOSE TUCKED DOWN AND THE TAIL SWUNG TO THE LEFT. HE REDUCED COLLECTIVE AND THROTTLE AS THE HELICOPTER CRASH-LANDED INTO THE SLOPE BELOW HIS LANDING SITE. THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION ACCIDENT COORDINATOR FLEW BY THE SITE AND NOTED THE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS 85 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND COMPUTED THE DENSITY ALTITUDE TO BE ABOUT 8,000 FEET.

## 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 LAX00LA343](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA343), Sep 19, 2000: Bell 206BIII (N90214), Ojai, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot encountered a loss of tail rotor effectiveness which led to an uncontrolled rotation and subsequent hard landing. Factors were unfavorable wind conditions, density altitude, and uneven…

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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