20070723020949A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bell 205A-1 · Happy Camp, CA · July 23, 2007

Date: July 23, 2007 · 11:00 local
Place: Happy Camp, CA
Phase of flight: Hovering
Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator: GAKA
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N205BR
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX07TA227
Reported as: Bell 205A1
Reported engine: Lycoming T5317BLYC
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 0 total0 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

N205BRRegistration cancelled Sep 20, 2007 · Bell 205A-1S/N 30033 · Built 1968 Airframe modelBell 205A-1 Engine modelLycoming T-53 seriesTurbo-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) During a firefighting operation for the U.S. Forest service, the helicopter weas transporting supplies for ground crews via a long line. The helicopter came to a high hover to drop off supplies for ground crews in a heavily wooded area. During a high hover in between trees, the helicopter drifted and made contact with trees. Subsequently, the helicopter made contact with the ground and caught fire. The pilot was fatally wounded, the aircraft was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DURING A FIREFIGHTING OPERATION FOR THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE, THE HELICOPTER WEAS TRANSPORTING SUPPLIES FOR GROUND CREWS VIA A LONG LINE. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO A HIGH HOVER TO DROP OFF SUPPLIES FOR GROUND CREWS IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA. DURING A HIGH HOVER IN BETWEEN TREES, THE HELICOPTER DRIFTED AND MADE CONTACT WITH TREES. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND AND CAUGHT FIRE. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY WOUNDED, THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED.

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 LAX07TA227Accident · 1 fatalFinal reportHappy Camp, CAthe pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the trees during a long-line operation. Contributing factors were the Forest Service's inadequate communication between crews, failure to properly assess the safety of the intended drop zone, reduced visibility…Jul 23, 2007 · Destroyed

Other reports on N205BR · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20010731021401AJackson, WY(-23) While hovering to pickup a load of water, the main rotor blades was struck by another helicopters water bucket that had arrived at the same pond for water but did not see the hovering helicopter below due to smoke from the nearby forest fire. The impact…Jul 31, 2001 · No damage