20030723027819A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bell 206B · Lihue, HI · July 23, 2003

Date: July 23, 2003 · 08:53 local
Place: Lihue, HI
Airport: Lihue Airport
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: DCGA
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N37741
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX03FA241
Reported as: Bell 206B
Reported engine: Allison 250C20B
People aboard: 5
Fatal injuries: 5
Pilot’s flight hours: 13,684 total8,674 in this make and model292 in the last 90 days

N37741Registration cancelled Dec 11, 2003 · Bell 206BS/N 1695 · Built 1975 Airframe modelBell 206B Engine modelAllison 250 SER 400HPTurbo-shaft

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On July 23, 2003, about 0853 hawaiian standard time, a Bell 206B helicopter, N37741, collided with terrain while maneuvering in the wai'ale'ale crater, kauai, Hawaii. The helicopter impacted steep up sloping terrain on the northwestern inside crater wall and was destroyed. The preliminary wreckage exam revealed signatures consistent with the helicopter having experienced a loss of engine power. The commercial certificated pilot and 4 passengers were fatally injured during the on demand air tour flight. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) existed in the vicinity of the crater at the time of the accident. The helicopter was owned and operated by jack harter helicopters, inc., Lihue, Hawaii. A company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was activated with the operator. The flight was performed under 14 CFR part 135 and originated from the helipad section of the Lihue Airport, Lihue, Hawaii at about 0803.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON JULY 23, 2003, ABOUT 0853 HAWAIIAN STANDARD TIME, A BELL 206B HELICOPTER, N37741, COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE MANEUVERING IN THE WAI'ALE'ALE CRATER, KAUAI, HAWAII. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED STEEP UP SLOPING TERRAIN ON THE NORTHWESTERN INSIDE CRATER WALL AND WAS DESTROYED. THE PRELIMINARY WRECKAGE EXAM REVEALED SIGNATURES CONSISTENT WITH THE HELICOPTER HAVING EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED PILOT AND 4 PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED DURING THE ON DEMAND AIR TOUR FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (VMC) EXISTED IN THE VICINITY OF THE CRATER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE HELICOPTER WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY JACK HARTER HELICOPTERS, INC., LIHUE, HAWAII. A COMPANY VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) FLIGHT PLAN WAS ACTIVATED WITH THE OPERATOR. THE FLIGHT WAS PERFORMED UNDER 14 CFR PART 135 AND ORIGINATED FROM THE HELIPAD SECTION OF THE LIHUE AIRPORT, LIHUE, HAWAII AT ABOUT 0803.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX03FA241Accident · 5 fatalField investigationFinal reportWaialeale,Kauai, HIThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance/altitude while descending over mountainous terrain, and his continued flight into adverse weather. Factors contributing to the accident were clouds and a low ceiling.Jul 23, 2003 · Destroyed