# NTSB CEN21LA356: Bell 206, N59552, Corydon, IN, August 4, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: August 4, 2021, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place: Corydon, IN
- Coordinates: 38.242222, -86.046667 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2422&lon=-86.0467&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 103633
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21LA356
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103633/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103633
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA356

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to see and avoid power lines.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell 206B, 25 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=1181511), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell 206B, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md?model=1181511), [All aircraft, 780 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that while performing an aerial application flight, he did not see the power lines before descending into the field. The helicopter collided with the power lines and the pilot lost control of the helicopter. The helicopter subsequently impacted terrain and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. A visual examination did not reveal any preaccident failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operations.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N59552](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N59552-2023-06-14), registration cancelled 2023-06-14, S/N 1664, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206 (B)
- Registry model: [Bell 206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (registry code 1181511) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Allison 250-C20 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (registry code 03020, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 1664
- Year built: 1999
- Engines: Allison 250-C20 315 horsepower turbo shaft
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Aerial application, Part 137
- Operator: Southmark Aviation
- Registered owner: Sycan Corp DBA
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Destination: Same as departure

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 29; injuries: minor; commercial; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; flight hours: 1,600 total, 350 in this make and model, 180 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 30° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 9,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observed at: KSDF, 15 nm away
- METAR: METAR KSDF 041956Z 03013KT 10SM FEW070 BKN090 BKN120 31/11 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP174 T03060106=

## 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 20210804008749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210804008749A), Aug 4, 2021: Bell 206B, Corydon, IN, Substantial damage. On August 4, 2021, at approximately 1435 eastern daylight time, a Bell 206B aircraft, N59552, landed in a corn field approximately 4.6 miles northeast of…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 28, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103633. 995 KB in all.

- Case findings (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 109 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14228028&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Case%20Finding%20cen21la356-Rel.pdf
- Photo (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 1 photo, 886 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14185513&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN21LA356%20Photo-Rel.pdf

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.

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