20131028020669A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bell 206B · Days Creek, OR · October 28, 2013

Date: October 28, 2013 · 11:48 local
Place: Days Creek, OR
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N16673
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR14CA052
Reported as: Bell 206B
Reported engine: Allison 250 SER 400HP
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 3
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,567 total2,300 in this make and model91 in the last 90 days

N16673Registration cancelled Feb 28, 2018 · Bell 206BS/N 2088 · Built 1976 Airframe modelBell 206B Engine modelAllison 250 SER 400HPTurbo-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.

While flying near Days Creek, Oregon, the aircraft struck three power wires crossing the south fork of the umpqua river. The aircraft was operated by tl forest product and was contracted by the Oregon department of fish and wildlife (odfw) to perform fish egg bed surveys (part 91). The aircraft was following the river at about 75 feet AGL. It appears the first wire struck the upper wire cutter of the installed wire strike kit. The other two wires struck the aircaft, one presumably tearing the left skid off the aircraft and cutting off part of the tailboom, the other may have struck the main rotor mast. The pilot did not see the wires, so could not react to the situation. The aircraft landed upside down in the river and received major damage. The pilot and two odfw employees had back injuries and broken bones, but were able to crawl out of the helicopter and onto the belly where they waited for first responders.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE FLYING NEAR DAYS CREEK, OREGON, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THREE POWER WIRES CROSSING THE SOUTH FORK OF THE UMPQUA RIVER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED BY TL FOREST PRODUCT AND WAS CONTRACTED BY THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE (ODFW) TO PERFORM FISH EGG BED SURVEYS (PART 91). THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOLLOWING THE RIVER AT ABOUT 75 FEET AGL. IT APPEARS THE FIRST WIRE STRUCK THE UPPER WIRE CUTTER OF THE INSTALLED WIRE STRIKE KIT. THE OTHER TWO WIRES STRUCK THE AIRCAFT, ONE PRESUMABLY TEARING THE LEFT SKID OFF THE AIRCRAFT AND CUTTING OFF PART OF THE TAILBOOM, THE OTHER MAY HAVE STRUCK THE MAIN ROTOR MAST. THE PILOT DID NOT SEE THE WIRES, SO COULD NOT REACT TO THE SITUATION. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED UPSIDE DOWN IN THE RIVER AND RECEIVED MAJOR DAMAGE. THE PILOT AND TWO ODFW EMPLOYEES HAD BACK INJURIES AND BROKEN BONES, BUT WERE ABLE TO CRAWL OUT OF THE HELICOPTER AND ONTO THE BELLY WHERE THEY WAITED FOR FIRST RESPONDERS.

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 WPR14CA052Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal reportMilo, ORThe pilot's failure to see and avoid wires while maneuvering at a low-altitude, which resulted in the main rotor blades striking the wires.Oct 28, 2013 · Substantial damage