- Date
- November 13, 2004, 13:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Eureka, UT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N130JHBell 206B3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 7, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20041113029479A
- Case key
- 60552
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
the pilot's improper in-flight planning and decision making and failure to maintain obstacle clearance, resulting in contact with a power transmission line. Contributing factors include the intentional low-level maneuver, the power transmission line, and the pilot's inadequate visual lookout.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he was flying above a highway and was repositioning for a filming operation. He approached a hill and climbed to an altitude of approximately 100 feet agl. After cresting the hill, he scanned the area ahead. He noticed a series of power transmission poles, paralleling the right side of the road ahead, but did not see any on the left. The pilot descended to approximately 30 feet agl to continue to follow the road. As he leveled out, at approximately 40 knots, the helicopter struck a power transmission line that stretched across the road. The pilot stated that he saw a "flash," and felt the helicopter begin to "vibrate and shake." He stated that he had cyclic and collective control, and attempted a forced landing on the road. The helicopter impacted the road, slid approximately 50 yards into the right side ditch. When the helicopter came to a stop, it rocked up on its nose, and the main rotor blades struck the ground. As the main rotor assembly pitched backward, the main rotor blades severed the tail boom, and then the main rotor hub and blade assembly separated from the mast. The helicopter remained upright and on its landing skids.
Factual narrative
On November 13, 2004, approximately 1330 mountain standard time, a Bell 206B3, N130JH, operated by AV Enterprises, Inc., was substantially damaged when it struck a power transmission line while maneuvering near Eureka, Utah. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The commercial pilot and one passenger were not injured. The flight originated at Faust, Utah, at 1300.
According to the pilot, he was following Highway 36 near Eureka, and was repositioning for a filming operation. As he approached a hill, he climbed to an altitude of approximately 100 feet agl. After cresting the hill, he scanned the area ahead. He stated that he noticed a series of power transmission poles, paralleling the right side of the road ahead, but did not see any on the left. The pilot descended to approximately 30 feet agl. As he leveled out, at approximately 40 knots, the helicopter struck a power transmission line that stretched across the road. The pilot stated that he saw a "flash," and felt the helicopter begin to "vibrate and shake." He stated that he had cyclic and collective control, and attempted a forced landing on the road. The helicopter impacted the road, slid approximately 50 yards into the right side ditch. When the helicopter came to a stop, it rocked up on its nose, and the main rotor blades struck the ground. As the main rotor assembly pitched backward, the main rotor blades severed the tail boom, and then the main rotor hub and blade assembly separated from the mast. The helicopter remained upright and on its landing skids.
The pilot stated that after the accident, he surveyed the area and noticed a power transmission pole on the left side of the road that was approximately 190 yards from the series of power transmission poles that were paralleling the right side of the road.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N130JH
- Reported as
- Bell 206B3
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 4166
- Engine
- Rolls-Royce 250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Registered owner
- AV Enterprises, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Faust, UT
- Destination
- Eureka, UT
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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- June 5, 2004
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 4,484 total · 1,706 in this make and model · 3,665 as pilot in command · 87 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- KPVU, 25 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.