20190329002159A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bell 206B · Valley Center, CA · March 29, 2019

Date: March 29, 2019 · 07:30 local
Place: Valley Center, CA
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: NJFG
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N83181
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA19CA186
Reported as: Bell 206B
Reported engine: Allison 250-C20B
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 25,300 total9,000 in this make and model85 in the last 90 days

N83181Registration cancelled Jan 3, 2020 · Bell 206BS/N 1095 · Built 1973 Airframe modelBell 206B Engine modelAllison 250-C20BTurbo-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.

Pilot was doing an aerial application. He landed on top of his reloading truck. Pilot indicated that he attempted to lift off, prior to the reloading hose being detached. Pilot stated that he just forgot to look. With hose attached the aircraft did a 180 degree turn, pulling the loader out of the truck. Helicopter crashed right next to truck, pilot was uninjured but loader was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS DOING AN AERIAL APPLICATION. HE LANDED ON TOP OF HIS RELOADING TRUCK. PILOT INDICATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO LIFT OFF, PRIOR TO THE RELOADING HOSE BEING DETACHED. PILOT STATED THAT HE JUST FORGOT TO LOOK. WITH HOSE ATTACHED THE AIRCRAFT DID A 180 DEGREE TURN, PULLING THE LOADER OUT OF THE TRUCK. HELICOPTER CRASHED RIGHT NEXT TO TRUCK, PILOT WAS UNINJURED BUT LOADER WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL WITH SERIOUS INJURIES.

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 GAA19CA186Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal reportValley Center, CAThe ground crew’s attachment of the load fill hose to the helicopter without telling the pilot, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control during takeoff.Mar 29, 2019 · Substantial damage