# Accident 20220426002649A: Bell 206B, Winter Garden, FL, April 26, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 26, 2022, 07:20 local time
- Place: Winter Garden, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: C33G
- Location: 28.5624° N, 81.6628° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.5624&lon=-81.6628&mi=10
- Aircraft: N206BX, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N206BX) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 206B (registry code 1181511, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20 series (registry code 03020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206B
- Reported engine: ALLISON 250-C20 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 10,500 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA22LA206](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA206) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220426002649A

## Narrative

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

ON 04/26/2022 AT 0720 AN AIRCRAFT  PERFORMING AERIAL SPRAYING OF HERBICIDE AT LAKE APOPKA, FLORIDA, CONTACTED THE LAKE NOSE DOWN, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER WHICH CAUSED THE TAILBOOM TO SEPARATE FROM THE FUSELAGE RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE SUBMERGED AIRCRAFT THROUGH THE RIGHT SIDE DOOR THAT WAS REMOVED WITH MINOR INJURIES. THE PILOT WAS FLYING ABOUT 15-20 FEET ABOVE THE LAKE AT 45 KNOTS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD 25 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING NORMAL WITH NO MAINTENANCE DISCREPANCIES AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED LAKE APOPKA WAS EXTREMELY CALM CREATING A GLASS AND MIRROR EFFECT ON THE LAKE. THE PILOT WAS MAKING THE FIRST PASS OF THE DAY TO SPRAY THE HERBICIDE. THE PILOT GOT ON THE SPRAY ROUTE HEADING EAST DIRECTLY INTO THE SUN. THE SUN REFLECTED OFF THE LAKE AND THERE WAS DIRECT SUNLIGHT IN THE PILOTS FACE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT LOOKED DOWN AT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL TO VERIFY THE PRESSURES OF THE SPRAY EQUIPMENT AND LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT WHICH THEN HIT THE LAKE NOSE DOWN CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER AND SUBMERGE IN THE LAKE LEADING TO THE ACCIDENT.

## 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 ERA22LA206](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA206), Apr 26, 2022: Bell 206 (N206BX), Lake Apopka, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: A collision with water following a loss of visual reference to the water surface due to sun glare.

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.