- Date
- July 30, 2007, 07:40 local (15:40 UTC)
- Place
- Anchorage, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N16757Bell 206B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 31, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Anchorage, FSDO-03
- FAA report
- 20070730014549A
- Case key
- 66493
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a light pole during final approach, which resulted in the helicopter striking the pole.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The commercial certificated pilot was positioning the helicopter from a private landing area to a local airport for fuel under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said approaching the taxiway, about 20-30 feet in the air, he spotted the light atop a 20-foot light pole through the left chin-bubble. He reported that he attempted to avoid the light, but the helicopter struck the light pole, damaging the chin-bubble and associated fuselage structure. He reported there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the helicopter prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The commercial certificated pilot was positioning the helicopter from a private landing area to a local airport for fuel under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said approaching the taxiway, about 20-30 feet in the air, he spotted the light atop a 20-foot light pole through the left chin-bubble. He reported that he attempted to avoid the light, but the helicopter struck the light pole, damaging the chin-bubble and associated fuselage structure. He reported there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the helicopter prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N16757
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2145
- Airframe hours
- 12,273
- Engine
- Allison 250 C 20B, 250 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- Arnold Johnson
- Registered owner
- Arnold Johnson Jr
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 1, 2007
- Departed
- Wasilla, AK
- Destination
- PAMR · Anchorage, AK
- Airport
- PAMR · Merrill Field
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2007
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 23,965 total · 14,000 in this make and model · 125 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,700 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- PAMR
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.