# NTSB ANC95LA012: Bell 206, N49686, Juneau, AK, November 20, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 20, 1994, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC) - Place: Juneau, AK - Coordinates: 58.579757, -134.77069 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=58.5798&lon=-134.7707&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Standing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/150) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal; on the ground: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report June 29, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 2611 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC95LA012 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/2611/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC95LA012 ## Probable cause THE EMPLOYEE'S DISREGARD FOR COMPANY TRAINING AND POLICIES ABOUT THE DANGERS OF HELICOPTER ROTOR BLADES. THE RUNNING AIRCRAFT WITH THE ROTORS TURNING WAS A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Propeller/rotor contact to person, standing - engine(s) operating - aircraft unattended/engine(s) running, pilot in command (contributing factor) - procedures/directives - disregarded, other person (cause) ## Analysis THE PILOT HAD LANDED A HELICOPTER AND LOCKED THE CONTROLS DOWN WHILE THE ENGINE AND ROTORS WERE TURNING AT FLIGHT IDLE. HE THEN EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND BEGAN REFUELING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HELICOPTER. A COMPANY EMPLOYEE APPROACHED THE PILOT AND INQUIRED ABOUT GETTING A RIDE TO THE ANTICIPATED DESTINATION FOR THE FLIGHT. AFTER AGREEMENT, THE EMPLOYEE STARTED TO WALK TOWARD HIS TRUCK TO RETRIEVE HIS LUGGAGE AND IN DOING SO, DUCKED UNDER THE TAIL BOOM OF THE HELICOPTER, WALKING TO THE LEFT REAR OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE EMPLOYEE WAS STRUCK BY THE TAIL ROTOR BLADE. AN FAA INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT THE EMPLOYEE HAD WORKED AROUND HELICOPTERS IN THE PAST AND HAD RECEIVED COMPANY TRAINING CONCERNING THE DANGERS OF HELICOPTER ROTOR BLADES. ## Factual narrative On November 20, 1994, at 1300 Alaska standard time, the tail rotor of a skid equipped Bell 206 Jet Ranger Helicopter, N49686, operated by Coastal Helicopters, Inc., struck a person while the helicopter was being hot fueled at the White Stone logging camp near Juneau, Alaska. The individual, an adult male employed at the camp, succumbed from injuries sustained in the mishap. The helicopter evidenced no physical indication of damage. At the time of the mishap, the helicopter was being operated under the non-scheduled rules contained in 14 CFR Part 135. The pilot reported that VFR conditions prevailed in the area and that the flight was on a company VFR flight plan. On the morning of November, 21, 1994, the NTSB investigator- in-charge conducted a telephone interview with the pilot of N49686. The pilot reported that after landing, he left the engine running at ground idle and proceeded to hot fuel the helicopter from the right side of the aircraft. The deceased initially approached the left side of the helicopter and spoke to a passenger who was in the process of getting his personal gear out of the aircraft's baggage compartment. The deceased, asked the passenger if he was the pilot. The passenger directed the deceased to the right side of the helicopter to where the pilot was standing. The deceased walked clockwise around the front of the helicopter to the right side of the aircraft. The deceased asked the pilot if he could hitch a ride back to Juneau with him to which the pilot responded in the affirmative. The pilot said that the deceased had a normal demeanor but appeared to be a bit excited about getting to Juneau. Afterwards, the deceased turned away and headed toward the general direction of the aircraft's tail, and the pilot redirected his attention to the fueling operation. According to the pilot, the deceased walked under the tail boom of the helicopter and was struck by the tail rotor. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, Juneau Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), reported that the deceased had worked around helicopters in the past and had received company training concerning the dangers of helicopter rotor blades. A post mortem examination of the deceased was conducted under the authority of the Alaska State Medical Examiner, 5700 E. Tudor, Anchorage, Alaska, on November 21, 1994. A toxicological examination was negative for alcohol or drugs. ## Aircraft - Registration: N49686 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: BELL 206 - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 1905 - Airframe hours: 5935 - Engines: ALLISON 250-C20B 420 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Coastal Helicopters, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 18, 1994, 96 hours before - Departed: AK - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 26; flight instructor, commercial; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; flight hours: 2,357 total, 62 in this make and model, 2,300 as pilot in command, 158 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,000 ft - Temperature: 27 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19941120038459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19941120038459A), Nov 20, 1994: Bell 206B, Juneau, AK, 1 fatal. Prospective non revenue passenger walked into idling tail rotor while pilot was hot fueling the helicopter. 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. --- 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.