20130218003079A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206B · Eureka, NV · February 18, 2013

Date: February 18, 2013 · 14:25 local
Place: Eureka, NV
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N20620
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR13GA128
Reported as: Bell 206B
Reported engine: Allison 250-C20 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 37,500 total

N20620Registration cancelled Jul 12, 2018 · Bell 206BS/N 3369 · Built 1981 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.

The helicopter was conducting public aircraft operations for the blm, seeding a burned area, when it struck a static line strung between the tops of power transmission towers. After striking the line, the main rotors and rotor head severed from the top of the mast and were found about 40 yards north-northeast of the power lines. The remainder of the helicopter impacted terrain on its left side approximately 90 yards north of the power lines. The pilot was fatally injured.

As the FAA filed it

THE HELICOPTER WAS CONDUCTING PUBLIC AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS FOR THE BLM, SEEDING A BURNED AREA, WHEN IT STRUCK A STATIC LINE STRUNG BETWEEN THE TOPS OF POWER TRANSMISSION TOWERS. AFTER STRIKING THE LINE, THE MAIN ROTORS AND ROTOR HEAD SEVERED FROM THE TOP OF THE MAST AND WERE FOUND ABOUT 40 YARDS NORTH-NORTHEAST OF THE POWER LINES. THE REMAINDER OF THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED TERRAIN ON ITS LEFT SIDE APPROXIMATELY 90 YARDS NORTH OF THE POWER LINES. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED.

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 WPR13GA128Accident · 1 fatalFinal reportEureka, NVThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a wire while maneuvering during low-altitude operations. Contributing to the accident was task- and/or work-related fatigue.Feb 18, 2013 · Substantial damage