20050310003169A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bell 206B · Center, TX · March 10, 2005

Date: March 10, 2005 · 14:00 local
Place: Center, TX
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: BRNA
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N85BH
NTSB investigation: NTSBDFW05FA086
Reported as: Bell 206B
Reported engine: Allison 250C20
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 3
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,187 total116 in this make and model18 in the last 90 days

N85BHRegistration cancelled Feb 7, 2014 · Bell 206BS/N 3792 · Built 1984 Airframe modelBell 206B Engine modelAllison 250-C20 seriesTurbo-prop

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 March 10, 2005, approximately 1354 central standard time, a Bell 206B-III helicopter, N85BH, serial number 3792, was destroyed when it impacted heavily wooded terrain in the sabine national forest near shelbyville, Texas. The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The aircraft was being operated by brainerd helicopters, inc. (brna) for a U.S. Forestry service contract. The helicopter was assigned to support a prescribed fire within heavily wooded terrain with 50-60 foot high trees near shelbyville, Texas. According to usfs dispatch records, at 1352, the mission ignition specialist onboard the aircraft reported by radio that the helicopter was commencing firing operations. At 1354, a radio distress call was heard by dispatch. The call was, "mayday, mayday, mayday, we are going down". No further communications were heard from the helicopter. At 1417, the helicopter wreckage was found at coordinates north 31 degrees 45.4 minutes, west 94 degrees 00.3 minutes.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON MARCH 10, 2005, APPROXIMATELY 1354 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A BELL 206B-III HELICOPTER, N85BH, SERIAL NUMBER 3792, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED HEAVILY WOODED TERRAIN IN THE SABINE NATIONAL FOREST NEAR SHELBYVILLE, TEXAS. THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED BY BRAINERD HELICOPTERS, INC. (BRNA) FOR A U.S. FORESTRY SERVICE CONTRACT. THE HELICOPTER WAS ASSIGNED TO SUPPORT A PRESCRIBED FIRE WITHIN HEAVILY WOODED TERRAIN WITH 50-60 FOOT HIGH TREES NEAR SHELBYVILLE, TEXAS. ACCORDING TO USFS DISPATCH RECORDS, AT 1352, THE MISSION IGNITION SPECIALIST ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT REPORTED BY RADIO THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS COMMENCING FIRING OPERATIONS. AT 1354, A RADIO DISTRESS CALL WAS HEARD BY DISPATCH. THE CALL WAS, "MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY, WE ARE GOING DOWN". NO FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS WERE HEARD FROM THE HELICOPTER. AT 1417, THE HELICOPTER WRECKAGE WAS FOUND AT COORDINATES NORTH 31 DEGREES 45.4 MINUTES, WEST 94 DEGREES 00.3 MINUTES.

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 DFW05FA086Accident · 3 fatalField investigationFinal reportShelbyville, TXThe pilot's failure to maintain altitude and clearance for undetermined reasons.Mar 10, 2005 · Substantial damage