# Accident 20060504007739A: Bell 206B3, Fallbrook, CA, May 4, 2006

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 4, 2006, 09:30 local time
- Place: Fallbrook, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: NJDG
- Location: 33.4333° N, 117.2500° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4333&lon=-117.2500&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2763R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2763R-2014-09-25) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 206B-III (registry code 1181506, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b-iii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20 series (registry code 03020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206B3
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 394 total, 382 in this make and model, 57 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX06LA161](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX06LA161) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060504007739A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON MAY 4, 2006, ABOUT 0930 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 206B3, N2763R, CRASHED INTO TREES WHILE CONDUCTING AN AERIAL SPRAYING OPERATION NEAR FALLBROOK, CALIFORNIA. BOTH PILOTS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE HELICOPTER, OWNED AND OPERATED BY PACIFIC ROTORS, INC., SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING THE CRASH SEQUENCE. THE HELICOPTER WAS OPERATING UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 137. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL AREA AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, AND A FLIGHT PLAN HAD NOT BEEN FILED. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO PERFORM A FINAL RINSE LOAD ON AN AVOCADO ORCHAD THEY HAD BEEN SPRAYING THAT DAY. AFTER FINISHING WITH THE LOAD, THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE HELICOPTER IN A SHALLOW RIGHT TURN OVER A STEEP HILL WITH ABOUT 80 PERCENT POWER. WITH THE HELICOPTER ABOUT 20 FEET ABOVE GROUND, AND ABOUT 5 FEET ABOVE THE TREETOPS, IT MADE AN UNCOMMANDED YAW. THE PILOT LOST POWER AND SETTLED INTO THE TREES.

## 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 LAX06LA161](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX06LA161), May 4, 2006: Bell 206B3 (N2763R), Fallbrook, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Failure of the engine to transmission drive shaft forward coupling due to overheating from lack of lubrication. The cause of the lack of lubrication was a result of improper maintenance. A factor was…

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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