20100105025699A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bell 206B · North Fork, CA · January 5, 2010

Date: January 5, 2010 · 12:30 local
Place: North Fork, CA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: EEGA
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N5016U
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR10GA097
Reported as: Bell 206B
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 4
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 16,810 total3,315 in this make and model90 in the last 90 days

N5016URegistration cancelled Mar 18, 2010 · Bell 206BS/N 2634 Airframe modelBell 206B

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.

On January 5, 2010 at approximately 12:10 PST, a Bell B-206 struck a power line while conducting deer count for the California department of fish and game. The pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The helicopter was operating under visual flight rule conditions. Two witnesses reported seeing the helicopter strike the wire and rotor and transmission depart the aircraft. The helicopter rolled inverted and burst into flames. The lines were properly marked on the VFR sectional chart.

As the FAA filed it

ON JANUARY 5, 2010 AT APPROXIMATELY 12:10 PST, A BELL B-206 STRUCK A POWER LINE WHILE CONDUCTING DEER COUNT FOR THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME. THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE HELICOPTER WAS OPERATING UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULE CONDITIONS. TWO WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE HELICOPTER STRIKE THE WIRE AND ROTOR AND TRANSMISSION DEPART THE AIRCRAFT. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED INVERTED AND BURST INTO FLAMES. THE LINES WERE PROPERLY MARKED ON THE VFR SECTIONAL CHART.

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 WPR10GA097Accident · 4 fatalFinal reportAuberry, CAThe pilot's failure to see and avoid a wire while maneuvering during low-altitude operations.Jan 5, 2010 · Substantial damage