# Accident 20070723020949A: Bell 205A1, Happy Camp, CA, July 23, 2007

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 23, 2007, 11:00 local time
- Place: Happy Camp, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: GAKA
- Location: 41.6406° N, 123.2769° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.6406&lon=-123.2769&mi=10
- Aircraft: N205BR, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N205BR-2007-09-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 205A-1 (registry code 1181414, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-205a-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming T-53 series (registry code 41552, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-t-53-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 205A1
- Reported engine: LYC T5317BLYC
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX07TA227](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07TA227) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070723020949A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## 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 LAX07TA227](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07TA227), Jul 23, 2007: Bell 205 A1++ (N205BR), Happy Camp, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: the 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…

## Other reports on N205BR (1)

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

- [Accident 20010731021401A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010731021401A), Jul 31, 2001: Bell 205A1 (N205BR), Jackson, WY, No damage. (-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…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.