- Date
- July 23, 2011, 11:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place
- Temple, OK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N118TVBell 206B
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 20, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20110723014789A
- Case key
- 81234
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 static power lines.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot said that he positioned the helicopter behind a moving truck as it was traveling down the highway to film the contents in the truck's bed. Unaware that terrain was rising, he observed a static power line across the helicopter's path at the last second. He attempted to avoid the power line by flying underneath it; however, the main rotor mast impacted a wire. He performed a successful autorotation to the ground. The helicopter's tail boom, tail rotor, vertical stabilizer, and main rotor control linkages sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
While flying a film director and camera man, the pilot positioned the helicopter behind a moving truck to film the contents in the truck's bed. Unaware that terrain was rising, the pilot observed a static power line across the helicopter's path at the last second. The pilot attempted to avoid the power line by flying underneath it; however, the main rotor mast impacted a wire. The pilot was able to perform a successful autorotation to the ground. The helicopter's tail boom, tail rotor, vertical stabilizer, and main rotor control linkages sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N118TV
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2844
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20 SER, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Interstate Helicopter Inc
- Registered owner
- Interstate Helicopter Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 16, 2011
- Departed
- PWA · Oklahoma City, OK
- Destination
- Temple, OK
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 5, 2011
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 4,000 total · 1,500 in this make and model · 3,500 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 20 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 95 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 15, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.